Essex mental health services: Calls for statutory public inquiry into patient deaths to be debated by politicians
Watch an extended clip of our interview with Melanie Leahy
An Essex mum is urging politicians to grant families whose loved ones died under the care of the county's mental health trust, a statutory public inquiry.
16 deaths between January and June this year were investigated internally by mental health trust, the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT).
The Trust says improving patient safety is a 'top priority' and it has spent £2.4 million to date on improvements.
Two weeks ago EPUT pleaded guilty to historic safety failings following the deaths of 11 inpatients between 2004 and 2015.
Last year, Melanie Leahy began her petition to get a statutory public inquiry into her son Matthew's death at the Linden Centre in Chelmsford.
With Parliament retiring for the General Election last December, at 47,000 signatures she had just 36 hours to make up the 100,000 signatures needed to secure a parliamentary debate.
She did it, and today that debate is taking place in Westminster Hall.
Since starting the petition, 55 families who feel their loved ones too have been failed by Essex mental health services, have joined her fight.
The call has now widened, to a statutory public inquiry into all Essex mental health patient deaths.
'The Linden Review'
Last month, the government said Health Minister and Mid Bedfordshire MP Nadine Dorries, was going to commission an independent review into 'failures in care' at the Linden Centre, between 2008 and 2015.
During those seven years the Linden Centre was run by the North Essex Partnership Trust. In 2017 it merged with the South Essex Trust to form the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT).
Earlier this month, the Trust pleaded guilty to historic safety failings following the deaths of 11 inpatients involving fixed ligature points.
The suicides or unexplained deaths occurred at seven sites including the Linden Centre between October 2004 and March 2015.
The case followed an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive and the Trust is due to be sentenced next month.
Whilst the families acknowledge both Nadine Dorries MP planned review and also the prosecution of the Trust, neither are the full statutory public inquiry they are pushing for.
Why campaigners say a review won't do
The reason some families whose loved ones died under the care of Essex mental health services say the independent review being proposed by Nadine Dorries MP isn't enough, is because of its limitations.
This review would only look at failings between 2008 and 2015, and it would only look at inpatients failed at the Linden Centre. It would not include patients under the care of EPUT who were living in the community, or at their other sites.
Also, an independent review does not have the same powers as a statutory public inquiry where staff involved in patient care can be called to give evidence under oath.
When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
Trust: patient safety 'top priority'
Since EPUT took over the Linden Centre and mental health services in Essex in 2017 it has invested £2.4 million in improving patient safety.
In a statement released in August it said:
“Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) extends its deepest condolences to those impacted by the death of people in the care of the former North Essex Partnership Trust.
“From the first day we established EPUT in April 2017 our top priority has been to continuously improve patient safety. We have an ongoing programme of improvements so that we can provide the best possible care for our patients.
“Like all other health trusts, a key part of our patient safety systems is the national learning from deaths mortality review which monitors all deaths of people who were in contact with our services.”
55 families fight for justice
Matthew Leahy
20 year old Matthew Leahy was found dead in his room at the Linden Centre just seven days after being admitted in 2012.
The inquest into his death in 2015 concluded that Matthew was subject to “a series of multiple failings and missed opportunities over a prolonged period of time by those entrusted with his care”.
A report from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman last year also uncovered 19 instances of serious failings into Matthew’s care under the North Essex Partnership NHS Trust.
Chris Nota
19 year old Chris Nota from Southend took his own life in July this year. He was an outpatient of EPUT. His mum Julia Hopper says he was failed.
“Please don’t ever let this happen again. I am begging the government to call a statutory public inquiry into Essex Mental Health Services now. This cull on the most vulnerable in our society must end.”
- Julia Hopper, Chris Nota's mother
Ben Morris
20 year old Ben Morris was admitted to the Linden Centre in December 2008. He took his own life 20 days later.
His death, Matthew Leahy's and Richard Wade's were 3 of the 11 deaths included in the Health and Safety prosecution, where the Trust pleaded guilty to historic safety failings earlier this month.
"I urge our government to do the right thing and start protecting our vulnerable mental health patients by commissioning a full statutory public inquiry."
- Lisa Morris, Ben's mother
Keep on fighting
If a statutory public inquiry is not agreed to by politicians today, Melanie says her plight won't stop here.
Today's (Monday 30th November) debate in parliament will start at 4.30pm in Westminster Hall and will last for 90 minutes.
You can be watch it online via the Parliament TV website.
What is a public inquiry?
A public inquiry is a major investigation called by a government Minister. It is run independently by an appointed chairman and often a panel.
A recent well known public inquiry was The Grenfell Tower inquiry following a fatal fire in a London block of flats in 2017.
Under the 2005 Inquiries Act, an inquiry may be held when it appears to a Minister that ‘particular events have caused, or are capable of causing, public concern.’
Inquiries are major investigations that can compel testimony and the release of evidence.
The primary purpose of a public inquiry is considered to be preventing recurrence of anything similar to what it is investigating.
While inquiries may address who is to blame, it has no power to determine any person’s civil or criminal liability.
When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.