Anne Power speaking after the inquest into her son's death at Littlebrook Hospital in Dartford

Transcript

00:00 Jonathan was subject to sexual abuse as a child by his reputable teacher

00:06 and as a result has suffered with his mental health for the majority of his adult life.

00:11 We've been here at Maidstone, now it's four days,

00:14 hearing evidence from the jury regarding how Jonathan was able to take his own life at Ethelbrook Hospital.

00:21 I've listened to three days of evidence of basic failures and mistakes

00:27 that were made in caring for Jonathan at Littlebrook Hospital under the National Health.

00:32 There is an admitted long list of mistakes and omissions on the part of the staff at Littlebrook Hospital.

00:40 One of the most troubling was the fact that Jonathan was not observed frequently or properly

00:46 and that the consultant psychiatrist, Dr Daly, didn't even know his observations had been reduced

00:53 and that she had acknowledged that they should not have been.

00:56 In the past I've been consulted and have always had discussions about Jonathan when he's been very unwell.

01:03 For some reason on this occasion no one ever contacted me to speak about Jonathan and his care and how he was.

01:12 The first time I ever spoke to Dr Daly was when she phoned me several hours later to inform me that Jonathan had passed away

01:20 even though the police had offered to notify me in person hours earlier.

01:25 The jury have returned verdict of suicide contributed to by neglect and due to gross failings by the Trust.

01:36 I can only hope that some lessons are learnt so that no other family must go through this appalling tragedy.

01:43 Unfortunately many things have occurred throughout Jonathan's time at Littlebrook Hospital

01:52 that has led me to believe that they were careless with Jonathan's life.

01:56 Jonathan was my only son and I now feel lonely in the absence of my much loved son.

02:03 I've never expected to spend the rest of my life without him. I'm sorry.