Barbara Keeley MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Social Care, commenting on today’s reports about Sussex Mental Health Trust, said:

“This is a disturbing report, particularly the findings that patient assessments were "inadequate" and that the risks posed by the service users “went unrecognised” or were “severely underestimated".

“It is very worrying that, in some cases, this large NHS Trust took no further action after service users threatened to kill others, including not informing the police, warning the person threatened or triggering a management plan.

“Families of those who were killed will be disturbed to learn that two of the killings were considered “preventable” or “predictable”. There must be a commitment by the Trust and others to learn from tragic incidents like these.”