Back To Broadmoor : Part 2

 A few days ago I tweeted this.

What was Jimmy Savile doing at Broadmoor Hospital ? I don't know why he somehow became head of a 'taskforce' in 1988, but I have a sneak feeling that it was something to do with this.

It's common knowledge that Jimmy Savile enabled the raising of the necessary funds to rebuild the Nation Injuries Spinal Unit in 1983. Not so-common knowledge is the fact that Broadmoor Hospital was in urgent need of similar improvements. Could it be that Jimmy Savile's role at the secure hospital wasn't actually that important at all ?

Kenneth Clarke didn't seem to think much of it at the time, if his words in 2012 are anything to go by.

The above is an extract from a newspaper dated October 21st 2012. Jimmy Savile's appointment was nothing to do with me,  says Mr Clarke, Blame Edwina Currie, not me ! 

Bless him, at least he had the decency to confirm that he was 'unaware of any claims against Savile'. Read the whole thing here. It's really very informative. The Department of Health would find the answers 'and isn't just to do with me at all', said Edwina. Remember her contribution to one of the expose's, either verbatim or something along the lines of : 'I think he appointed himself'. If my memory serves me well !

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20019993

So here we go. Let's look at what the official report found - presumably via those archives (but not always), alongside contemporaneous press reportage, shall we ?

First things first : When did Savile first enter the hospital ? 1968 according to this. 

And here's the letter. Note that Dr McGrath is writing something that is obviously a response to enquiries about Savile emanating from the Ministry Of Health. It's clear that these events were being monitored and McGrath was no pushover as regards celebrities, he wasn't pleased with some article that had found its way into the press, but the visit itself went well, the patients had a great time, so all in all, he was happy for Jimmy's acquaintance with the hospital to continue. 

I won't include the whole letter here. You can read it yourself here. It's in the appendices of the official report. Glory be to the appendices I say. Unfortunately the letter appears as a stand-alone. The ministries letter is not included for reference and neither are any follow up documents. Make of that what you will !

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/323458/Broadmoor_report.pdf

So that's how Jimmy Savile came to be involved with Broadmoor Hospital. Not the later 'taskforce', that is a separate issue and should not in my opinion, be confused with his later role. I shall tell you about that next time. In the meantime read this. 

'government inspectors last year'.

October 4th 1989 Reading Evening Post

Did you really think that a place like Broadmoor would not be subject to special scrutiny by the government ? 

To be continued. There's so much more you need to know. 

© Rabbitaway 

Back To Broadmoor - Again !

 A few days ago I tweeted a rather unfair description of the official report NHS Broadmoor Report. My opinion of the findings of the same as regards alleged incidents of abuse perpetrated by Jimmy Savile, has - of course not altered. I say 'of course' because the accounts of the few 'victims' have not improved on reading for the hundredth or so time, but leaving all that aside, the report itself has its uses. Let me explain ! But first : herewith is a link to the whole thing. Please someone, download it before it disappears. Thank you !

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/323458/Broadmoor_report.pdf

But, before I start on the report dated 2nd June 2014, let's go back to October and November 2012. Read this 

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/oct/12/jimmy-savile-broadmoor-volunteer-role

Esther Addley wrote this for The Guardian published on the 12th October 2012, just nine days after 'exposure' and the bit that caught my interest when I re-visited the subject recently, was that 1988 report. Not the fact that there had been one, but the fact that a journalist had bothered to actually reference it. Now if only her and her pals had bothered to research the whole  story, as it appeared in her predecessors work, rather than just its existence to give the rest of her nefarious article some authority. But she didn't did she ? Instead we got the gossip instead. And the reports, and the solicitors and the lies and the lies and the lies.

She didn't go back and check the full story. If she had she might have known the year Jimmy Savile first set foot in Broadmoor and a lot more besides.

Funny, it's only in the last few days that I myself have wondered : 'who else was in that "taskforce" with Jimmy ?'. It's one of those details that appears to have missed, just about everyone's attention, including the well paid official report folks'. 

But not the Broadmoor Local Press it seems ! Oh yes, Adam McKinley over at The Bracknell Times was getting a tad annoyed with Mr/Dr Savile's bragging and he didn't mince his words either ! October 13th 1988.

Two weeks later 

'Ex sub-editor of The Sunday People for eighteen years no less ! Ouch, someone wasn't happy. Adam hadn't mentioned Edwina Curry (I'll come back to her later). 

So many people were involved in the running of Broadmoor Hospital during Savile's involvement before, during and after the days of the taskforce. I'll tell you more next time. One can only make an informed decision about something if one has access to the information that journalists and official bodies have access to. I shall continue doing the small bit I can in order to make this possible ! 

Onwards !

© Rabbitaway 19th March 2013