Our front page story this week is the tragic case of Maureen and Edward Watkins. Maureen was a loving, kind person who was the life and soul of any get-together, according to her granddaughter Katie. Edward was a caring son and uncle, his family said.
One reason why this story is so sad is that Maureen and Edward were so close and lived together for decades before he killed her. The family believe that Maureen and Edward were “let down” by the Maudsley hospital, which was treating him. They feel it was irresponsible for hospital staff to release Edward back into Maureen’s care so early.
The South London and Maudsley trust, which manages the Maudsley, said they have made changes to the way they operate after Maureen’s killing, including helping staff make better risk assessments. Let’s hope this is true and doctors are now making better judgements about who is safe to be let out onto our streets and into their families’ homes. It won’t help the Watkins, but it may prevent other future tragedies. The coroner’s criticisms are telling of a wider problem of helping people like Edward with severe mental health issues and keeping families and the wider public safe.