Lampard Inquiry: First stage for inquiry probing 2,000 mental health deaths in Essex
Baroness Kate Lampard has been urging families of loved ones who’ve died as well as current and former mental health staff to get involved in the inquiry, Victoria Lampard reports
The first stage has begun of a public inquiry which will investigate thousands of mental health deaths and have powers to compel witnesses to speak.
About 2,000 patients being cared for by a mental health trust in Essex died between 2000 and 2023.
An inquiry had opened before, but families who lost loved ones called for it to be given more powers - after it was revealed that very few staff members agreed to take part.
A new inquiry has opened, with the chair, Baroness Kate Lampard, asking families and mental health staff to apply to play a key role in the investigation.
Melanie Leahy, whose son Matthew died in Chelmsford in 2012, said she felt "relief at last that things are starting to take shape".
She said there remained concerns the investigation would not be wide enough "because there's so many community deaths that aren't included".
"Many patients that couldn't get beds, did their lives not matter?" she told ITV News Anglia.
"I know this is a fight for Matthew, for answers that I need personally, but it's become so much more than that. Without the full picture, the puzzle is just going to be broken."
What happened with the first inquiry?
The Essex Mental Health Independent Inquiry - the first public inquiry into mental health held in England - was set up in January 2021.
It was chaired by Dr Geraldine Strathdee. But she then called for the extra powers after just 11 staff members out of 14,000 agreed to give evidence.
In June 2023, Health Secretary Steve Barclay agreed to give the inquiry statutory powers, meaning witnesses were legally compelled to give evidence.
Families of those who died welcomed the move at the time, describing it as "the start of the next chapter in our mission to find out how our loved ones could be so badly failed by those who were meant to care for them".
Baroness Lampard was announced as the new chair of the inquiry last September.
What is the inquiry investigating?
The inquiry initially looked into the deaths of around 1,500 people between 2000 and 2020.
But in January 2023, the number of deaths being reviewed as part of the inquiry was increased to 2,000. And now the timeframe has been extended by three years to the end of 2023.
They include patients who died while in an NHS mental health ward, or within three months of being discharged, and those who died in private wards but were receiving NHS-funded care.
How do I apply to play a key role in the inquiry?
Baroness Lampard is inviting people to be a key part of the inquiry - these people are referred to as "core participants".
They may receive disclosure of evidence, make opening and closing statements, and suggest lines of questioning for witnesses.
It can be anyone who has a significant interest in the inquiry, for example family members, mental health staff or mental health service providers.
Applications can be made by completing a form and sending it to Contact@LampardInquiry.org.uk.
People have until 20 May to apply at: lampardinquiry.org.uk.
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