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Help offered to distressed families

15/ 7/2002

TWO helplines were in operation to help families distressed at the Baker Report's findings.

One helpline was run by West Pennine Health Authority. An alternative was offered by Tameside Families Support Group, run by the organisation's legal team, Alexander Harris solicitors.

The 'report helpline' directed callers to other organisations, for example the police.

Jan Ashton-Hibbert - whose grandmother Hilda Hibbert was unlawfully killed - said: "Families were waking up to hear about the report on the news.

"At least with Alexander Harris there are information packs ready, even though we were given little warning of the report's publication beforehand.

"From there callers will be directed to ourselves and meet the group itself."

The West Pennine-run helpline is set up to offer guidance to anyone concerned by the report, a spokesman said.

Meanwhile, solicitor Ann Alexander - whose firm represented 150 families in January 2001 - criticised the manner in which the report was announced.

"The difficulty has been in the last 24 hours (January 4-5) that they have had very little warning of the report coming out this morning (January 5)," Miss Alexander said.

She explained that since the government's 'private inquiry' u-turn - the Shipman Inquiry could have been in private but for a court challenge by the families - the government have been 'very co-operative' until now.

"I am surprised because they have had plenty of opportunity, particularly in the past couple of weeks, to ask for advice on how best to put the report out and cause the minimum of upset to the families involved," Miss Alexander added.