Unraveling Mental Health Tragedies in Essex: A Statutory Inquiry into NHS Trusts

A statutory inquiry into mental health deaths in Essex, which is expected to focus on patients who were cared for by NHS trusts in the region between 2000 and 2023, will begin hearing evidence on September 9. The investigation team has received about 100 applications from witnesses who want to give evidence, although the exact number of staff members has not been confirmed.

Families and campaigners have been calling for a statutory inquiry into mental health deaths in Essex for years, with a petition signed by over 100,000 people urging parliament to debate the issue. Following this, the former NHS North Essex Partnership Trust was fined £1.5m by the Health and Safety Executive over the deaths of 11 patients.

The investigation will focus on patients under the care of Essex Partnership University NHS Trust, as well as the two former trusts it replaced, along with patients under the care of North East London NHS Foundation Trust in Essex. The inquiry was given full statutory powers in 2023 due to a lack of NHS recruitment and locum staffing. Although staff may now be forced to give evidence, Baroness Kate Lampard hopes she will not have to resort to using her contempt proceedings powers.

The Department of Health and Social Care has published a procurement notice seeking suppliers who can offer emotional support to the survey team until 2027, with a possible one-year extension. The Lampard Inquest is expected to begin with opening statements and evidence from individuals affected by mental health deaths.