Essex bereaved mother says it's "crucial" there's better parliamentary support for Lampard Inquiry
"This is the first opportunity as a nation to focus on these issues in an inquiry"
Families involved in an ongoing mental health inquiry in Essex have met three MPs at the House of Commons to discuss their concerns and gather support.
The Lampard Inquiry, which started in September, is investigating the deaths of at least 2000 mental health patients in care, and within three months of being discharged, from 2000-2023.
Previously we heard from one bereaved mother that she was "filled with justified rage" at how the Inquiry has been handled.
Julia Hopper, from Southend, has spent the last five and a half years campaigning for action on behalf of her son Christopher Nota, who died aged 19, after falling from height.
Christopher died in July 2020 whilst in the care of Essex Partnership University Trust.
Ms Hopper and Melanie Leahy, whose son Matthew died in 2012, whilst in the care of The North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, organised the meeting on Monday (10 November) with the support of Southend and Rochford MP Bayo Alaba.
MP David Burton Sampson, and MP Alex Burghart were also in attendance.
The meeting was to bring more awareness of the inquiry to MPs in the hope of gaining more parliamentary support from them.
Ms Hopper told Greatest Hits Radio: "It would be my hope that we would end up with a working group of MPs, all very engaged and interested in preventing mental illness, safeguarding vulnerable people experiencing mental illness, and understanding how both of those things are done"
Some families who have not been given core participant status at the inquiry, were also in attendance.
Melanie Leahy said: “It has taken twelve years of campaigning to secure the first statutory public inquiry into the mental health system here in Essex."
"It is imperative that our MPs come out in support and vital we get the truth and justice we have been waiting so long for. Without it, none of us will see any changes for future patients.”
Ms Hopper added: “It is crucial that we have the support of our Essex MPs so that they can help ensure that this important inquiry delivers the truth for so many families who have lost loved ones at the hand of Essex Mental Health Services over the years.”
"When the Inquiry is finalised, we can ensure that it succeeds in its aims to make the people of Essex safe, and also, for that learning to go all around the UK because we know the issues go for everywhere."
"We need to shine a very bright light on the fact that significantly more than 2000 people have died here, and those deaths are ongoing."
Nina Ali, partner at Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors which represents more than 120 families at the inquiry, said: “Having the support of MPs to both ensure the smooth running of the inquiry and to be able to ask questions in the House of Commons is of fundamental importance.
An Inquiry spokesperson has said: "We acknowledge the deeply felt emotions and perspectives shared by participants regarding the Inquiry's process.
"The Inquiry has proactively sought to contact over 5,000 potentially affected individuals, providing clear information about participation. The Inquiry is committed to ensuring those impacted have opportunities to be heard."