Lampard Inquiry: Probe to begin into deaths of thousands of mental health patients in Essex
The mother of a teenage boy, whose death will be investigated as part of the Lampard Inquiry, told ITV News that the introduction of effective change will require all parties 'to insist upon it'
Words by James Gray, ITV News Producer
"We know exactly what needs to happen, there's no mystery," says Julia Hopper, a mother whose teenage son's death was contributed to by multiple failings in the mental health care he received, an inquest found.
Her message comes as a statutory public inquiry examining the deaths of almost 2,000 mental health patients in Essex gets underway on Monday.
The Lampard Inquiry, chaired by Baroness Kate Lampard CBE, will investigate the deaths of people who were receiving mental health inpatient care in Essex between 2000 and 2023.
People who died within three months of discharge, and those who died as inpatients receiving NHS-funded care in the independent sector will be included in the inquiry.
The Essex Mental Health Independent Inquiry was established in 2021 without statutory status.
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It was upgraded to a statutory footing last year, which means it has legal powers to compel witnesses to give evidence.
This came after it emerged that just 11 members of staff out of 14,000 contacted by the inquiry said they would attend an evidence session.
Ms Hopper, whose 19-year-old son, Christopher Nota, died in July 2020, has long campaigned for a public inquiry, with more than 100,000 signatures collected in support.
Mr Nota died after falling from a height in Southend. An inquest later concluded that multiple significant failures in his care contributed to his death.
Speaking to ITV News Health Correspondent Rebecca Barry ahead of the inquiry getting underway, Ms Hopper said "change must happen".
"But it's only through speaking to people like you that people can stand behind us, stand with us and insist upon it," she said.
Ms Hopper continued: "The beauty of this inquiry in Essex, if it's done properly, is having the changes that we need that will safeguard everybody all over our nation.
"And this one is the first in history. Let's do it, let's do it here, let's use this opportunity to do it properly."
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After opening statements, the inquiry is expected to move to commemorative evidence from friends and relatives about some of those who died.
It will later move to hearing from former patients about their experiences.
Ms Hopper spoke of the "huge" and "textbook failings" in her son's care, explaining that she felt "pitted as a parent against a system manned by people who don't care and who are free to fail".
"The weight of losing Christopher is beyond measure, but on top of that, if that were not bad enough, is the certainty that they knew he would die and they carelessly discharged him anyway," Ms Hopper added.
Emma Jones, Partner at law firm Leigh Day, is representing a client whose adult son's death will be examined by the Lampard Inquiry.
Lawyer Emma Jones explains to ITV News what outcomes she is hoping for from the Lampard Inquiry
She told ITV News: "We're hoping that Baroness Lampard and her inquiry team will shine a light into all the darkest and dustiest corners within the Essex trusts' mental health systems to make sure that all of the failings, not just at the trust but maybe at other agencies.
"For example, the CQC [Care Quality Commission]. Why did it take until 2020 before the CQC raised these warnings? Why did it take 20 years? What was the ombudsman doing?
"We need to look at those areas as well and we hope that the inquiry will be fearless in its investigation and finally give these families the answers they deserve."
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