- Benedict Barboza, 49, meets Labour MP Keith Vaz at House of Commons
- Vaz: 'More support from King Edward VII Hospital must be given to family'
- He adds: 'This is a close family; they're devastated by what has happened'
- But hospital says it spoke to Barboza last Friday and has offered him help
- Husband pictured near Bristol home following Jacintha Saldanha's death
- PM: 'It's an absolute tragedy and I just feel incredibly sorry for her family'
By Mark Duell, Gerri Peev and Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor
|
The distraught family of the nurse found dead after falling victim to a hoax phone call tonight met with Labour MP Keith Vaz in Westminster hours after he accused her employer of failing to support them.
Clutching a picture of his dead wife Jacintha, Benedict Barboza, 49, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his two teenage children in his first public appearance since her death last Friday.
The 46-year-old nurse had been duped into putting through a phone call at King Edward VII Hospital in central London, which was treating the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge last week.
Scroll down for video
Tragic: Benedict Barboza (centre), 49, the husband of Jacintha Saldanha (centre, photo), is pictured with his children Lisha (left), 14, and Junal (right), 16, in Westminster ahead of a meeting with Labour MP Keith Vaz
Together: Benedict Barboza (centre) arrives at the Houses of Parliament in central London with daughter Lisha, 14, and son Junal, 16, for a meeting with Keith Vaz MP (right) following the death of Jacintha Saldanha
Mr Barboza, an NHS accountant embraced Mr Vaz before all four went into the House of Commons for a meeting. Mr Vaz emerged later on to say they had briefed him on their discussions with police.
Mr Vaz added: 'They are extremely grateful to the public here in the UK and throughout the world who have sent them messages of condolences and support following the death of Jacintha - a loving mother and a loving wife.
'The hospital has sent them a letter, which I have seen, but I'm surprised that nobody has made the journey to Bristol to sit with them and offer them the counselling that I think they need. More support in my view needs to be given'
Labour MP Keith Vaz
'This is a close family - they are devastated by what has happened. They miss her every moment of every day.'
Earlier in the day, executives at the hospital were forced to issue a statement refuting claims by Mr Vaz after he implied that the Australian DJs who tricked Jacintha Saldanha had received more support than her husband and children.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4's World At One, Mr Vaz said Mr Barboza - along with his children Lisha, 14, and Junal, 16 - had been left 'shocked and bewildered' after Mrs Saldanha was found dead at nurses' housing on Friday morning.
'I would like to see them get the same support that is apparently being given to others because this is a very traumatic time,' he added in a direct reference to Michael Christian, 25, and Mel Greig, 30, who have been offered extensive counselling by their Sydney employers 2Day FM.
Mr Barboza travelled to London from his home in Bristol today to meet Mr Vaz at the Commons, as he prepared to formally identify his wife's body at a post-mortem examination tomorrow.
Difficult time: In a BBC interview, Mr Vaz (centre) said Mr Barboza (left) - along with Lisha and Junal (right) - had been left 'shocked and bewildered' after Mrs Saldanha was found dead at nurses' housing on Friday morning
Emotional: Labour MP Keith Vaz (centre, red scarf) hugs Benedict Barboza (centre, wearing glasses) and his two children - Lisha, 14, and Junal, 16 (faces not pictured) in Westminster this evening
Mourning: Benedict Barboza (centre) leaves his home in Bristol today to travel to London for the post-mortem
He plans to return the body of his beloved wife to her native Shirva, India, where she will be buried.
Mr Vaz claimed the nurse's relatives should be getting more support - but King Edward VII Hospital tonight insisted it spoke to Mr Barboza by phone on the day of his wife's death last Friday and offered to meet him whenever he wanted.
It came as Prime Minister David Cameron today revealed his shock at the death of Ms Saldana and urged the Sydney radio station to 'reflect' on how the hoax call was allowed to be aired.
'I thought it was just completely shocking when I heard the news about the suicide of this nurse who worked incredibly hard and obviously was incredibly dedicated,' he told MailOnline at a lunch for journalists at Parliament.
'So I just feel incredibly sorry for her and her family. It is an absolute tragedy that this has happened and I'm sure everyone will want to reflect on how it was allowed to happen.'
Mr Barboza and the couple's teenage son and daughter - Lisha, 14, and Junal, 16 - were being comforted by relatives and friends at their home today after the presenters made a grovelling apology in two interviews aired on Australian TV.
Calls for action: Prime Minister David Cameron (left, pictured in Cambridge today) called the death 'an absolute tragedy'; and Keith Vaz MP (right, pictured last week) said the hospital must provide more support to the family
Saddened: Sydney-based 2DayFM radio presenters Michael Christian (left) and Mel Greig (right in left, and right) made a grovelling apology today in two interviews aired on Australian TV (one seen right)
A post-mortem examination will be taking place tomorrow at Westminster Mortuary as police continue probing why Ms Saldanha was found dead at her work-provided housing in central London.
'I just feel incredibly sorry for her and her family. It is an absolute tragedy that this has happened and I'm sure everyone will want to reflect on how it was allowed to happen'
Prime Minister David Cameron
A Metropolitan Police spokesman added: 'An inquest will open and adjourn at Westminster Coroner's Court on a date to be fixed. The death is being treated as unexplained.'
A statement from the Saldanha family issued through police said: 'We as a family are deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved Jacintha.'
The nurse's brother Naveen told MailOnline that his sister was a devout Roman Catholic and would have been 'devastated' by her unwitting role in the breach of medical confidentiality.
Condolences: Flowers and personal messages (right) are pictured today outside the King Edward VII Hospital apartments where Jacintha Saldanha (left) was found dead in central London last week
Carrying on: An unidentified nurse today enters King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone, central London
Mr Vaz, who visited Ms Saldanha's family yesterday, said they were in 'terrible distress' and urged the hospital to give them more support.
MEMORIAL FUND FOR JACINTHA
King Edward VII Hospital today established a memorial fund in nurse Jacintha Saldanha's name to provide financial support for her family and made the first donation to the fund.
The hospital's chief executive John Lofthouse said: 'All our thoughts are with Jacintha's family, her husband and children. We have offered them our deepest condolences and any support that we can provide.'
Donations can be made by cheques made payable to 'King Edward VII's Hospital - Jacintha Saldanha Memorial Fund' and sent to: 'Finance, King Edward VII's Hospital, 10 Beaumont Street, London, W1G 6AA.'
MailOnline believes Mr Vaz invited the family to the Commons after visiting them in Bristol - and that the family got in touch because he is a prominent member of the Indian community and a Catholic.
He told BBC Radio Four: 'The hospital has sent them a letter, which I have seen, but I'm surprised that nobody has made the journey to Bristol to sit with them and offer them the counselling that I think they need. More support in my view needs to be given.'
In response the hospital said its chief executive John Lofthouse had spoken to the nurse's partner on Friday by phone and offered to meet him whenever he wanted.
In a statement it said: 'Mr Lofthouse also made it clear that the hospital would offer any support it could. Mr Barbosa said he was grateful for the offer, and the hospital invited him to reflect on whatever help he would like.'
VIDEO: The grief-stricken family of Jacintha Saldanha visit Westminster.
VIDEO: Keith Vaz: 'Jacintha's family need to know what has happened'.
- For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details
hmmm, now I wonder why Vaz is sticking his nose in.
- PC , Liverpool, United Kingdom, 10/12/2012 18:25
Report abuse