Tragedy
Why Has No-One from Hospital Visited Jacintha's Family?
British MP Keith Vaz expresses dismay that Australian DJs have received more counseling than Jacintha's family
Getty Images ; (inset) Metropolitan Police / AP Photo
A British member of parliament who visited Jacintha Saldanha's family at their home over the weekend said they have been left "shocked and bewildered" by her death but he expressed dismay that they have yet to be offered counseling by the King Edward VII hospital or visited in person by a representative of the hospital.
Meanwhile the hospital flatly denied claims made by the Australian radio station 2DayFM that they had made five attempts to contact the hospital prior to broadcasting the prank call. A source at the hospital's PR company told the Royalist: “We have all checked out phones, as has the hospital, and we can find no record of these calls.”
MP Keith Vaz told BBC radio: “The hospital has sent them a letter which I have seen, but I am a little surprised that nobody has made the journey to Bristol to sit with them and offer the counseling they need. More support needs to be given. I've spoken to the chairman of the hospital. There is a need to demonstrate that support. A hundred or so miles should not prevent the kind of support that they need."
He told BBC Radio 4's The World at One: "My thoughts are with the family. They are devastated by what has happened, they are shocked and they are bewildered. What is necessary is a focus on their needs.”
Apparently referring to the fact that the DJs concerned are being offered psychological help, Mr Vaz said: "I would like to see (the family) get the same support that is apparently being given to others because this is a very traumatic time.”
A spokesperson for the hospital was unable to tell the Royalist whether anyone would be traveling to Bristol to meet Jacintha’s family in person.
A newspaper poll in Australia has revealed that more than two-thirds of people do not blame DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian for the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha.
More than 34,000 readers took part in the Sydney Daily Telegraph newspaper's poll, with 68 per cent saying the blame should not be apportioned to the radio presenters.