Bereaved families drop out of Essex mental health inquiry after "no time" to prepare evidence

Bereaved families who are subjects of an Essex mental health inquiry are not being given enough time to prepare evidence, according to Lampard Inquiry campaigners.

The Lampard Inquiry is investigating the deaths of thousands of mental health patients who died in the hands of Essex NHS mental health services between 2000 and 2023.

In its fourth stage of hearings (7-10th July) , the Inquiry is hearing evidence from affected family members.

One of the lead campaigners for the Inquiry, Julia Hopper, tells Greatest Hits Radio the deadlines were "stupidly short" and many families "are simply not ready" to speak.

Ms Hopper's son Christopher Nota, 19, from Southend, had repeatedly been discharged from inpatient units, despite being seriously unwell, and died after falling from height in July 2020.

An inquest found significant failures in his care had contributed to his death.

Having given commemorative evidence to the Inquiry in September 2024, Ms Hopper says "we need a considerable amount of notice so we can be ready to speak."

"When families are traumatised, given the nature of these losses, writing statements is very complex.

"Getting evidence together is a huge job and that takes up a great deal of man hours from lawyers and families.

"I think the Inquiry is learning lessons that it should have been able to foresee earlier."

Nine months into its 25-month timeline, the Lampard Inquiry is examining not only local failings but also whether these reflect a wider national problem.

So far, it has exposed a lack leadership and staff on mental health units of the Essex Partnership University Trust (EPUT), formed in 2017 from the merger of North and South Essex Partnership Trusts.

EPUT Chief Executive, Paul Scott, told the Inquiry the trust had reduced its use of agency staff by 30%.

The inquiry has also exposed issues with data collection.

In its May hearings, the Inquiry at Arundel House in London heard there is "no complete set of statistics in relation to those who die in mental health detention".

Baroness Lampard has warned that the inquiry may never uncover the full scale of deaths linked to failings in Essex mental health services.

When the Inquiry was contacted about the short deadlines given to bereaved witnesses, they responded:

"“Families were given at least 12 weeks to provide the Inquiry with a written statement detailing the treatment of their loved one including any concerns and recommendations."

"The Inquiry has confirmed that anyone unable to prepare their statement in time for, or who didn’t wish to give evidence at, the July hearing will have another opportunity to participate in October or at a later hearing.”

You can follow the hearings live on the Lampard Inquiry's YouTube page.