Today (Wednesday 15 May 2018) the outcome of a judicial review of the inquest into the death of Jackie Maguire, who we supported for nearly 20 years, was shared publicly. In response to the outcome of the judicial review Tim Cooper, Chief Executive of United Response, said:

“The original inquest and subsequent judicial review into Jackie Maguire’s incredibly sad death have undoubtedly been painful processes for her family and the staff who cared deeply for her.

“The inquest rightly presented a full and public airing of the facts surrounding Jackie’s untimely death. Our thoughts continue to be with Jackie’s loved ones and everyone involved in her care, for all of whom this has been an unimaginably difficult period.

“The untimely deaths of people with learning disabilities have been ignored by wider society for far too long. But the recent increased profile of such sad and preventable deaths is a welcome and positive step towards raising awareness and implementing positive change.

“Bristol University’s landmark Learning Disabilities Mortality Review in particular is a vital contribution towards setting a new path for people with a learning disability and those who care for them.

“As an organisation which cares deeply about the lives and the rights of every person we support, we hope that the increased scrutiny on deaths of this kind will push all agencies and care providers, including our own, to improve.

“Working closely with other professionals and bodies, we are absolutely committed to providing truly integrated support for those with learning disabilities in the future.”