LETTERS
From George Clarke, Shanklin:
STEVE Beynon, the IW Council’s chief executive, just does not get it! (Failed by the System: Woman found hanged let down by Sevenacres and employer, CP, 26-02-10).
He does not seem to understand employers have a duty of care towards staff and he does not appear to understand the role of occupational health.
One of the roles of occupational health is to assist staff with their return to work after sickness absence. Another role for occupational health is for the employer to demonstrate duty of care.
If there is an employee, who is clearly distressed and struggling in the workplace, to the extent where the unfortunate person needs to go home because she cannot cope, then any caring employer would instigate a referral to occupational health as it is in the interests of both parties to understand what is causing the distress.
As the coroner noted, this should be "blindingly obvious".
A referral would then result in occupational health liaising with other agencies, including general practitioners and, if relevant, psychiatric services. The primary purpose is to get the individual back to work in a healthy state.
Mr Beynon should review the council’s sickness-absence policies because he has a very narrow perception of the role of occupational health and duty of care.
Not to do so means he will continue to put his current employees at risk. And if he cannot do this he should consider his position.
From Steven Fryer, East Cowes:
My experience: I was a patient at Sevenacres a few years back and must say the help and support I was given for acute anxiety and depression saved my life.
The doctors, nurses and support staff not only helped me on ward but also in the community with daily support at home. Speaking to people in my community and from the Island there is a negative view of these services because of recent reports in the County Press. Also printing a consultant’s name on the front page, while he has 20 to 30 patients currently on ward is wrong, irresponsible and potentially dangerous.
Editor’s footnote: The consultant concerned was a key player in the inquest into the death of Kari Ann Paxton and it would not have been in the public interest to have kept his name out of the report.