Another day, and more examples of where the NHS budget has gone to.
Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead. 17 page report by the Director of Nursing and Quality.
Operation Yewtree recorded an allegation that Savile had sexually assaulted a patient on the Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (QVH) premises in the 1950’s. She specifically stated that her assailant had been named ‘Jim’ and looked like Savile. The victim said that as she recovered from her operation ‘someone wearing a green gown, cap and a mask around their neck put their hands beneath (her) gown and inappropriately squeezed and handled her chest.” At this time the patient was alone in a single room next to the operating theatre recovering from her anaesthetic. The patient’s medical records and operating theatre records confirmed that she had undergone surgery on the day she alleges the assault took place.
Archive material from the local paper at that time, hospital minutes and visitor books contained no evidence that Savile had ever been to East Grinstead during the period of the incident; evidence of one visit to the town in the 1970’s (20 years later!) was identified through the ‘Memories of East Grinstead Facebook site’ but this did not include a visit to QVH. Investigation into the QVH charitable fund and League of Friend activities found no link with Savile as a patron, visitor, volunteer or donor.
No evidence was found that Savile visited East Grinstead during 1954 or that he visited the hospital site at any time during his life. The police have confirmed that no further investigation will be undertaken.
Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle. 16 page report by the Head of Nursing.
Operation Yewtree recorded an allegation that a former member of staff witness A, who worked at the RVI, had reported that Savile had visited the hospital around 1991.
A full investigation was commissioned.
In addition to the allegation reported to MPS, during the course of this investigation, we were told of a further two or possibly three visits made by Savile. These visits were made to a Children’s Ward at the RVI (which has since been demolished) and the Northern Centre for Cancer Treatment (NCCT), which at the time was at Newcastle General Hospital (NGH). From witness recollections, these visits took place between 1987 and 2000. Witnesses also recalled seeing Savile in public areas. On all occasions, witnesses reported that Savile was accompanied by his entourage. Throughout the course of this investigation, no allegations were received in relation to inappropriate behaviour or abuse carried out by Savile, either in relation to patients or staff. Neither was any evidence found to suggest Savile had any on-going or regular association with any of the hospitals – or was ever unsupervised, or indeed alone with patients.
In June 2014, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) published a report which implicated Newcastle Hospitals. One of the informants suggested that Savile had unsupervised access to children, but we were unable to substantiate or indeed investigate this, as the NSPCC were unable to provide us with the contact details . Therefore, the NSPCC report does not change the conclusions of this investigation.
Queen Mary Hospital, Epsom. 26 page report by Lead Investigator. Capsticks LLP providing legal advice.
Operation Yewtree recorded an allegation that Savile and three associates were denied access to a ward within Queen Mary’s by a junior nurse in the 1970s. JS allegedly threatened to stop the BBC Christmas outside broadcast which was due to be held at Queen Mary’s if access was refused. The allegation was made by an anonymous informant.
Queen Mary’s was used by the BBC for Christmas Day broadcasts from one ward only, known as D1 (the ward was also part of a larger area known as D2 and both wards were reserved for children who needed longer term nursing care) in the late 1960 and early 1970s. However JS did not host these broadcasts and there is no evidence that he was in attendance at the broadcasts.
The investigator has no contact details for the anonymous informant and therefore has not been able to discuss the allegation to establish further information. In addition, there is no documentary evidence of any sort to suggest that JS attended Queen Mary’s at any time in the 1970s or at any other time. The Metropolitan Police have been unable to provide any more information other than what it disclosed in the first place.
Operation Yewtree recorded an allegation by a former member of staff at Whitby Hospital, that Jimmy Savile had touched her inappropriately but not in a sexual or intimate way whilst he was visiting a hospital ward at Whitby hospital. W said that on one occasion, Savile approached her, put his arm around her and said “Nurseynursey, I’ve made you a cup of tea”. She told Savile she did not like tea.
The incident was said to have taken place sometime between 1964 and 1968.
There is no documented chronology of Jimmy Savile’s association with Whitby Hospital. There are no Board minutes or other documentation relating to the period of time in question. The investigation team searched media archives and the internet and found no mention of Savile visiting. The only information we have been able to secure is the evidence of W who said that Savile visited occasionally at night between 1964 and 1968. We have found no record of Savile acting in any capacity as a volunteer at Whitby Hospital.
Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester. 17 page report by theDivisional Head of Nursing with a 15 strong team of investigators and legally advised by Hill Dickinson LLP
Operation Yewtree recorded an allegation related to a conversation which took place in the presence of Patient A in the day room of a ward at Wythenshawe Hospital in 1962/1963, but concerned Jimmy Savile’s conduct at his home and not at Wythenshawe Hospital. During the course of a general conversation, Patient B, made a comment about Jimmy Savile. During this conversation Patient B told a group of patients, including Patient A, ‘Jimmy Savile was a dirty old man up to no good’ and that he used to hold parties at his house and very young girls were amongst the guests.
The 15 strong investigating swung into action to ‘establish the facts and chronology pertaining to the evidence provided by Patient A and offer support, if appropriate’. (Support? For having been told 50 years ago that Jimmy Savile was a dirty old man?)
No evidence was identified by the investigation team to suggest that Jimmy Savile was ever present on the Wythenshawe Hospital site. There was no incident and no victim was identified.
But that didn’t stop them chuntering on for another 11 pages dutifully read by Ms Raccoon, still searching for the ‘truly awful, dreadful’ abuse of ‘young children in the care of the NHS…….’
Roecliffe Manor, Woodhouse Eaves, 49 page (this had better be good!) report by Lead Investigator
Operation Yewtree recorded an allegation had been subject to abuse by JS. Subsequently, Leicestershire Police interviewed the Informant in February 2013 to obtain further information relating to the allegation.
- When he was 3 or 4 years old, he was placed at the “Woodhouse Eaves Children’s Convalescent Home”3 in Leicestershire. He remained there until he was 9 years old, at which point he then returned to his family.
- Between the ages of 7-9 years old, he was abused sexually by JS who would visit the home. The Informant could not provide details of the abuse at the time of the police interview.
- JS was between the ages of 26-30 years old at the time of the abuse and he was on the radio.
- He came into contact with JS on 4 occasions.
- He recalls being taken out by JS, with a girl from the children’s home. They were taken in the rear of a white/greyish van which the Informant described as “an old style butcher’s van”4. They sat in the back on a thick sponge and were taken to another hospital. They were also taken to two other places, although these locations were not named.
- JS had a friend who had a Scottish or Irish accent.
- In February 2013, the Informant placed an advert in the Leicester Mercury, a local newspaper, asking if anyone was a survivor of the “Woodhouse Eaves Children’s Convalescent Homes” from the 1950s onwards. According to the Police note of the interview with the Informant, this advert elicited 47 responses, although no detail was provided of what these responses were. According to the note, the Informant had also received a threatening telephone call from someone accusing him of stirring up trouble.
As part of the investigation, the Informant was interviewed on a number of occasions. The interviews were clearly distressing to him, and often had to be cut short. The Lead Investigator adopted an approach to interviewing the Informant recommended by the National Association of People Abused in Childhood (“NAPAC”) to ensure he was fully supported in the disclosures he wished to make.
The report concludes:
That sexual abuse of children is likely to have taken place at Roecliffe Manor, although the extent of such abuse is unknown. This conclusion is reached on the basis of two witnesses who provided convincing evidence that they had been abused whilst at Roecliffe Manor by a man.
That despite the finding that sexual abuse of children is likely to have taken place at Roecliffe Manor, it has not been possible to associate JS with such abuse. Other than the Informant, no other individual interviewed, or record read, made reference to JS being present at Roecliffe Manor. Further, whilst some corroborative evidence to potentially link the individual who abused the Informant with JS was found, this was not of sufficient strength in nature to enable the Lead Investigator to conclude that the man who abused the Informant was in fact JS.