New mental health champion Professor Siobhan O’Neill to meet son-in-law of slain pensioners

Charles Little, the son-in-law of pensioners Michael and Marjorie Cawdery who were stabbed to death in their own home in Portadown in 2017, has been campaigning for several years for the reform of mental health services.

His family have faced an uphill struggle to find out the truth of what happened in the lead-up to the horrific killing and to ensure lessons are learned.

Mr and Mrs Cawdery, who were both aged 83 at the time, died in a knife attack at the hands of Thomas McEntee, a seriously mentally man who had made several trips to hospital seeking help in the week leading up to the killing.

Mr Little said he plans to set out to Professor Siobhan O’Neill why it is so important families are given the full facts when an incident occurs.

“When incidents occur families must be told the truth – ‘duty of candour’ legislation is essential both for the institution and the individual,” he told the News Letter.

“Victims and families must be supported and included, not treated as a threat to be avoided and retraumatised.

“The mental health service must learn that ‘patient confidentiality’ cannot be used as a shield to conceal the truth.”

Shortly after taking on the role as health minister, Robin Swann promised to make mental health a “priority”.

In May, his department published a ‘mental health action plan’ with a series of 38 steps to reform services.

And in June, he announced the appointment of Professor O’Neill.

But Mr Little has concerns about the lack of authority given to the mental health champion which he intends to raise later today.

“You’ve got the patient and client council, who have the authority to launch investigations – you also have the children’s commissioner and the older people’s commissioner who have the same power backed by government legislation,” he said.

“The mental health champion has no legal power.”

He also criticised the lack of funding for several steps in the plan.

“Around a third of the actions on the Mental Health Action Plan are subject to funding,” Mr Little said.

“That’s not really an action plan. It’s more like a wishlist.

“Looking at the things I am directly concerned with – for example item 6.4 is about dealing with suicides and homicides relating to mental health – and that’s subject to funding.”