NHS Improvement Wellington House 133-155 Waterloo Road London SE1 8UG Dear Claire Upton, I write in response to your letter dated 19/5/16 Ref: Death of Matthew Leahy . 15/11/12 In your letter you state. ‘ We are working closely with the trust to ensure improvements are made’. I would like to take this opportunity to bring your attention to the following:- The patient was taken in under section for her own safety. No one searched her…she went in ready to kill herself and sent over the evidence should she succeed. A prime example of what’s still happening!!! It’s not good enough. How is a vulnerable patient able to smuggle in pills, lighters, razors, tweezers etc.????? There is still along way to go within the set up called NEPFT. Even today it’s reported the pipe work has not been completed at the Linden Centre…how long does it take to get these things done? Patients regularly report to me that drugs, alcohol etc are smuggled onto ward . Only a few weeks ago even a bb gun has been reported as having been in the Galleywood Ward of the Linden Centre. Regards the issue of the door hinges which my son supposedly hung from. I am disgusted to see the attached picture of a hinge still clearly in view on the trust own new flashy brochure produced for the cqc to show the changes they have made .. what on earth is going on??? So whilst it appears hinges have been changed on the room doors – why on earth are there still hinges on a store cupboard in the main ward? You could argue that this would be in full view of staff, but I have already previously proved through a patient video shown on Channel 5, periods where there were no staff on the ward. Its happened once so it can happen again. On the subject of the merger you are considering between North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust I would also like to raise some concerns:- 1. Why do the board think they have the skills necessary to push through this merger when they couldn’t follow through with the Journeys programme and ensure the promised savings and efficiency promised was realised? The trust lost lots of qualified staff and now have to look overseas to recruit. 2. NHS Improvement want assurances that staff and partner organisations have been consulted about the planned merger, but according to Dr Sweeney of North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group – the moving of Peter Bruff and Bernard wards were not consulted on. How can NHS Improvement be assured the public and partner organisations will be consulted with? 3. The Clinical commissioning groups at present are not aligned. If NEP cannot work as one in its current form . ie North east and Mid and West CCG’s – what makes you think it could as one huge Trust? 4. The competitions authority has not been consulted on this merger, which also causes great concern. When I ask these questions of you. I write not only for myself, but for the thousand of patients and families in Essex who rely on mental health services being the best available. I look forward to your response on these very important issues. Yours sincerely, Mrs Melanie Leahy