Trust apologises to Savile victims

Hattie Llewelyn-Davies, chair of Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust said: “This report contains the horrific and deeply distressing account of some 60 people who were abused by Savile.

“It is because of their courage in coming forward that we can learn from the mistakes of the past and ensure that what happened to them can never happen again.

“Their pain and their anguish flood across every page of these reports and is matched only by their courage and resolution in coming forward to tell their story.

“Together these accounts paint a bleak story of a deeply flawed and repellant individual who used his role as a fundraiser, his celebrity status and his national contact to conceal his wicked activities.

“For too long people were taken in by this controlling and manipulative man.

“But this report differs from the other Savile reports in that its deals exclusuively wuith abuse that happened in the distant past.

“The first victim account in this report dates back to 1968 and the last is dated 1992.

“These awful events took place between approximately 25 and 50 years ago but it would be wrong to assume that diminishes their importance or their impact.

“On behalf of the NHS organisations that existed at the time, and on behalf of the NHS today, I want to say sorry to all of Jimmy Savile’s victims.

“I know how difficult it must have been for you to come forward and tell your story after such a long time.

“Today Stoke Mandeville is a very different place.

“The investigation says that now ‘the trust has a safeguarding team of experienced and qualified staff members who are fully aware of the importance of safeguarding’ and it ‘has not found any safeguarding related situation where either children or vulnerable adults have been at risk.’

“The report says the trust ‘has a comprehensive set of evidence-based and fit for purpose policies and procedures.’

“And it concludes that at the present time, ‘safeguarding processes are appropriate’ and ‘the safety of both childtren and vulnerable adults is not thought to be at risk.’

“All of this is encouraging but as the trust’s chair I would be failing in my duty if I allowed any sense of complacency to set in.

“We’ve made real improvements.

“We are developing a culture of openness, transparency and engagement.

“We are also emncouraging our staff to speak out when they see practice that falls below acceptable standards.

“We will continue to support the people who were abused by Savile.

“We owe it to them that we listen and learn, that we remain constantly vuigilant, and that we continue to improve our services.

“I promise we will do just that.

“The ultimate responsibility for the shocking activities of Jimmy Savile must rest with the man himself but that doesn’t absolve anybody from learning the lessons that emerge from this important report.”

Reporter Becca Choules was in Westminster for the press conference into the report and the statement by MPs in Parliament. Follow her updates here.