An inquiry into Essex mental health will reveal hundreds of deaths, the chairman says

Hundreds more preventable deaths than previously thought will be revealed in the first statutory inquiry into mental health services, its chairman said on the opening day.

An inquiry into mental health services in Essex was originally expected to examine around 2,000 deaths between 2000 and 2023. Opening proceedings in Chelmsford on Monday, its chairman, Kate Lampard , he says he expects to reveal “more” than this figure.

Problems collecting data on patients are one of a series of failings to be investigated by an investigation by the University of Essex Partnership NHS trust (Eput), North East London NHS foundation trust (Nelft) and leading organisations.

Lady Lampard said: “I find it amazing that we will never know how many people died during this investigation.”

Nicholas Griffin KC, a consultant to the study, said: “Some work has already shown that the previously given figure of 2,000 people who died will be significantly higher.”

The revised figure will be given in November, he said.

Legal investigations will examine incidents of serious harm to patients, including attempted suicides and physical and sexual assaults. It will focus on patient deaths and injuries, but will include events that occurred in the community three months after discharge or three months after refusing to admit the patient.

Lampard said: “We are investigating so-called mental health errors on a very surprising scale.”

Some of them were ongoing and had national implications, he added. “Several of the issues mentioned are still an ongoing issue and I need to resolve them as soon as possible.”

The inquiry was launched after previous calls for evidence and witnesses, by an independent inquiry led by Dr Geraldine Strathdee, were ignored. “The response to this,” Griffen said [call for evidence] he was very poor.”

In a warning to service providers, Lampard said: “Where appropriate evidence is not provided, or not provided in a timely manner, I will not hesitate to use my full legal powers.”

After a minute’s silence for the victims, Lampard thanked the families who had campaigned for years for a legal investigation. “I also appreciate the important role of families in creating this independent legal investigation. Without their dedicated and tireless campaign, we would not be where we are today. ”

Priya Singh, a partner at Hodge Jones & Allen (HJA), which represents more than 120 victims and families, said: “It was shocking to hear that the inquest is expected to reveal many more deaths. There is no time for wait, people are dying, not just in Essex, but maybe, all over the country.”

In its announcement to launch an inquiry into the families, the HJA criticized the Essex trusts for failing to do so in the past. It said less than 30% of those considered key witnesses by Strathdee had agreed to attend witness sessions.

It also accused the trust of failing to change despite a number of damning reports by the authorities, parliament and the health services ombudsman, coroners and criminal prosecutors in 2021 about the death of 11 patients as a result of kill yourself.

The publication said it was concerned that some healthcare professionals involved in patient abuse were still working in the NHS.

It listed 21 frequently occurring problems that it expects the survey to uncover. They include: improper discharge of patients; failure to admit patients in need; improper use of force and restraint; rapid turnover of personnel; baseless accusations against families, and false record keeping.

It added: “Due to their experience of being denied legal investigations, our clients are asking the government to take them seriously.”

Several parents and bereaved families gathered outside the inquest in Chelmsford and placed posters on the pavement with photographs of their loved ones.

One banner said: “We want truth, justice, responsibility, change,” and another said: “Failed by Essex mental health services.”

The research evidence gatherings are expected to continue until 2026.