Wayne David, Labour MP for Caerphilly, has welcomed the start of the inquest into the deaths of individuals at Brithdir Nursing Home, in the Caerphilly Borough, between 2003 and 2005.

The inquest will be held at Newport.  It will be opened on Monday 18 January and is due to run until 15 March.  The inquest will be conducted by HMC Geraint Williams.

The inquest will initially focus on the deaths of three individuals – Stanley Bradford, Evelyn Jones and Edith Evans.  Their relatives live in the parliamentary constituencies of Caerphilly, and Merthyr and Rhymney.  Wayne David MP and Gerald Jones MP have been liaising and supporting their constituents.

Wayne David has been involved in this issue since 2005 when constituents brought to him concerns about how their relatives were being treated in Holly House Care Home, near Maesycwmmer, which was run by Dr Das.  When Holly House was closed many of the residents were transferred to Brithdir Nursing Home, (also run by Dr Das) Wayne David pressed for the establishment of Operation Jasmine. This was an in-depth investigation into care home abuse in south east Wales.  Later, Mr David argued for the independent review led by Dr Margaret Flynn, which was appointed by the Welsh Government.

In 2011, prosecutions were brought against Puretruce Health Care Ltd. (the company that owned Brithdir) and Dr Prana Das, a Director of Puretruce.  However, Dr Das was attacked at his home and after suffering severe head injuries he was found to be unfit to stand trial.  As a result the trial was halted and the charges were laid on file.

In response to the news that the inquest is starting next week , Wayne David said, “I am very pleased that the inquest is starting, despite the delays caused by Covid.  I very much hope that the inquest will provide at least some closure for the relatives.  It is important that the terrible catalogue of events that led to the avoidable deaths of so many frail people is set out.

“Hopefully, the lessons of this painful episode are being learnt.  Abuse of the elderly must not occur in any care home and it is the responsibility of society as a whole to make sure that this is the case”.