Parents 'abandoned and betrayed' over core participant status at mental health inquiry

Bereaved parents feel "abandoned and betrayed" after being denied core participant status at a statutory public inquiry into the deaths of almost 2,000 mental health patients.

The Lampard Inquiry, chaired by Baroness Kate Lampard, will investigate the deaths of people who were receiving mental health inpatient care in Essex between 2000 and 2023.

This will include people who died within three months of discharge, and those who died as inpatients receiving NHS-funded care in the independent sector.

The inquiry is due to begin in Chelmsford on Monday, and some parents plan to protest outside on its first day.

Priya Singh, partner at Hodge Jones & Allen, which represents more than 120 victims and families, said: “With regards to those families who have been refused core participant status, they have also fought tooth and nail to bring this inquiry to fruition.

"They feel like they have been abandoned and betrayed."

• What is core participant status?

The special status grants participatory rights, including being able to suggest lines of questioning via counsel to the inquiry.

It also allows disclosure of evidence which the chairwoman considers is relevant to their participation, the opportunity to make opening and closing statements via legal representatives and being provided with advance copies of the inquiry’s reports.

The families of Tillie King and Darian Bankwala have both been denied core participant status

• Tillie King - died in 2020, aged 21

Tillie King's mother Lisa Bates, 57, said it was “so unfair” that she had been refused core participant status at the inquiry.

Ms Bates said her daughter “missed an appointment because she was in a manic episode”.

She added: “Because of that, when she died she just missed the three-month mark that they are allowing."

She said she found her daughter in her bedroom in Brentwood, Essex, on 8 March, 2020, and a coroner concluded that her death was drink and drug-related.

Ms King first became involved with mental health services aged 13, her mother said.

She said she found out through her solicitors that she had not been given core participant status in the inquiry.

“I don’t understand it, it’s just not fair,” said Ms Bates, who works at a mortuary.

She added that the inquiry was "not getting a true look at what’s going on in the community”.

“Tillie was - still is, I say - an amazing person,” she said.

“That showed actually in her death because so many people reached out, she touched so many people… she was a cat lover, she loved animals and she wanted to go and volunteer at our local animal sanctuary,” she said.

“She was a really lovely girl, it’s such a shame she was so troubled and they never got to the reason or the cause of it.”

• Darian Bankwala - died in 2020, aged 22

Kobad Bankwala, 68, said he felt he had been “left out completely and forgotten”, having been refused core participant status, and he would also be protesting on Monday.

His son Darian Bankwala was 22 years old when he was hit by a train and killed near Wickford station in Essex on 27 December, 2020, having struggled with his mental health for years.

He had been discharged in July 2020 despite being unwell, Mr Bankwala said.

He said he knew from when his son was two years old that “something was wrong”, and he has “fought” with institutions for years.

Mr Bankwala said he wanted core participant status at the inquiry so he could suggest questions to ask of witnesses, adding: “I do not want this opportunity missed.”

“This is my inquiry, this is our money, this is the taxpayer’s money,” said Mr Bankwala, who used to work in telecoms and is now retired.

He said his son was a “very gentle person, very gentle as a young person, very kind and very polite” but was “very disturbed”.

“There was no help for us, there was no help for him,” he said.

If you have been affected by any issues raised in our report, support is available:

• Samaritans is an organisation offering confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. Phone 116 123 (a free 24 hour helpline) or email jo@samaritans.org

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...