Tawel Fan families 'no confidence' in health board progress

Relatives of patients who were badly treated on a north Wales mental health ward have said they have no confidence in a health board's assurances of progress in its investigations.

A report in May condemned treatment on the Tawel Fan unit at Glan Clwyd Hospital as "institutional abuse".

Families have since complained about a lack of information, and invitations to meetings sent to wrong addresses.

Betsi Cadwaladr health board chief Simon Dean has apologised to them.

Giving an update on progress following the damning report by Donna Ockenden, external, Mr Dean said he could understand why the families of patients affected had no confidence in the board, and that he had "huge sympathy" for them.

Gillian Berry, from Rhyl, whose late brother was a Tawel Fan patient for nine months, told a health board meeting in Mold on Tuesday that communication was poor.

She said a letter inviting her to a meeting had been sent to an address in Prestatyn, arriving two days after the meeting had happened.

Christine Johnson, whose mother had been treated on the ward, said the families were being told different stories by different people and felt they were being pushed "from pillar to post".

"It's distressing - we're not getting anywhere," she told BBC Wales after the health board meeting on Tuesday.

However, during the meeting she said she was keen to work with the health board to restore public trust in it.

Mr Dean admitted during the meeting that systems needed to be in place so that families could "engage" with the board, and that basic details such as addresses and contact details needed to be accurate.

Along with chairman Dr Peter Higson, he apologised for the mix-ups and hoped that appointing someone as a single point of contact for the families would improve communication.

Mr Dean, appointed interim chief executive after the suspension of Dr Trevor Purt in June, promised progress on mortality reviews and the disciplinary process.

He also promised "strong leadership", confirming plans to appoint a new head of mental health services.