The family of a grandmother who died in a layby on the M11 while being transported between mental health trusts have demanded a new scholarship no longer bear her name.
Peggy Copeman, of New Buckenham, died in December 2019 as she was being transported back to Norfolk from Cygnet Hospital in Somerset, where she had been sent for treatment.
Mrs Copeman was a patient of the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) at the time and an inquest into her death held last year identified shortcomings in the care she received.
In December last year, NSFT and Mrs Copeman's family agreed to set up a scholarship in her memory.
Now the family has criticised the trust's plans for a £45m mental health hospital development and demanded her name be removed from the scheme.
Nick Fulcher, Mrs Copeman's son-in-law and a fervent campaigner for mental health service improvements, said the development will not add enough beds to meet the region's demand.
He said: "They're spending £45m on wards at Hellesdon and it's only adding 15 extra beds, it's pathetic.
"This just means that people like Peggy will keep being sent out of area.
"They won't change, they're diabolical.
"Since the inquest, they've never asked how the family is doing, they're just the same old trust.
"They are not allowed to use her name. They failed Peggy, they failed my family."
Responding to Mr Fulcher's concerns, Diane Hull, chief nurse at NSFT said: “We’re sorry that Peggy Copeman’s family no longer wish to have her name associated with the scholarship that was established in her memory and have removed her name at the family’s request.
“We understand how devastating Peggy’s death was for her family and we want to continue supporting them in any way that we can.”
Ms Copeman's family's objections follow similar concerns raised by the Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk and Suffolk on Tuesday.
The group called for the NSFT chief executive, Stuart Richardson, to stand down, arguing the lack of beds has led to deaths and distress for patients and families.
However, in a report to NSFT's board, programme manager Matt Wilson said it had to "compromise," focusing on refurbishment rather than new builds due to the cost.
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