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 !
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'.
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
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