Relatives of elderly residents who died at a care home riddled with institutionalised abuse have told health bosses what changes were needed to prevent further tragedies.

Family of those who died at the Orchid View care home in Copthorne as a result of neglect and poor care met with health and social professionals in charge of changing the system.

Nineteen people died at the privately-run home between 2009 and 2011. An inquest in 2013 ruled that five of the deaths were caused by sub-standard care and neglect.

The event at County Hall in Horsham, called After Orchid View, saw relatives being informed about progress made since a serious case review was published in June. The review made more than 30 recommendations that need to be adopted locally, regionally and nationally to reduce the likelihood of a repeat case ever happening again.

Andrea Sutcliffe, chief inspector of adult social care at the Care Quality Commission, joined the leader of West Sussex County Council Louise Goldsmith and Dr Amit Bhargava, chief clinical officer from Crawley Clinical Commission Group, for the event.

A joint statement issued by relatives following the meeting said: “We were pleased to attend the conference and appreciated the opportunity to add a personal touch to the event. It is so important we don’t forget the members of our families who suffered at Orchid View.

“It has been an important achievement to get such a large number of agencies, partners and local authority colleagues in one room, which demonstrates that West Sussex is trying to meet the recommendations of the Serious Case Review Report.

“There is a long way to go and it hasn’t restored our confidence just yet, but getting everyone at the event showed that those in authority are willing to make the necessary changes that are so desperately needed in West Sussex.”

West Sussex County Council’s Louise Goldsmith described the event as “incredibly emotional”.

She added: “What has been most important to me in the wake of the horrors of Orchid View was that the families of those poor people who died had a voice and were listened to. I’m so grateful to them for attending the event.

“They have, quite rightly, been incredibly vocal about the changes that need to be made to the care industry to ensure that nobody has to go through what they, and their families, went through.”