18/07/06 - Letter from London Ambulance Service

London Ambulance Service
Patient Advice & Liaison Service
St Andrews House
St Andrews Way
Devons Road
London
E3 3PA

Mr James Brokenshire MP
23 Butts Grren Road
Hornchurch
RM11 2JS

18 July 2006

Tel: 020 7887 6678
Fax: 020 7887 6670
www.londonambulance.nhs.uk

Your Ref: JW/05/0247
Our Ref: PALS 12994/06

Dear Mr Brokenshire

Mr Lee Balkwell (Deceased)

Thank you for your letter of 10 July to Mr Peter Bradley, our Chief Executive Officer. Mr Bradley has asked me to reply on his behalf.

I understand that Mr Balkwell's father is enlisting your assistance as regards the investigation of Mr Balkwell's death and you are seeking information as to whether the ambulance staff involved have been formally interviewed by the police.

I can confirm that the ambulance staff who attended Mr Balkwell provided an account of evenis to the police at the time of the incident. They were later interviewed and made written statements, although it remains unclear if this interview was in relation to the investigation of the incident or subsequent to an apparent complaint about how Essex Police had managed the inquiry. The staff concerned have said that this interview took place within a year of the original incident.

As Mr Balkwell Snr will be aware, my offices made available to him a copy of the records we hold relating to the incident in March 2005. We had previously made a copy of these available to the solicitor who was acting on behalf of the family at that time.

I do hope this information will be of assistance but please feel welcome to contact me if 1 can be of any further help.

Yours sincerely

Gary Bassett
Patient Advice & Liaison Service Manager