The Lampard Inquiry: "The Trust did not keep my Dad safe, they put him in more danger"
Bereaved daughter gives evidence to the Inquiry 24 years on from her Dad taking his own life months after being sectioned
A bereaved daughter has said she was treated "abysmally" by an Essex NHS Trust after her father took his own life under their care.
Emma Sorrell's father, Frederick Peck died aged 54 in The Lakes in Colchester, five months after being admitted.
"They were not watching him, they were not carrying out risk assessments, or fixing the problems the risk assessments highlighted.
The Lakes mental health unit in Colchester is part of the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT).
When contacting the Trust for answers, Emma tells Greatest Hits Radio she was left feeling like she was making "an unnecessary fuss over something that would have inevitably happened."
"They withheld information, which delayed the Inquest for 18 months.
"It left me feeling completely exhausted, devastated and emotionally wrung out."
Emma gave evidence to an Essex mental health Inquiry on Thursday 10 July.
The Lampard Inquiry, which began in September 2024, has just finished its fourth stage of hearings.
It is investigating the deaths of "at least 2000" patients under the care of Essex mental health services, but Chair of the Inquiry Baroness Kate Lampard has told the Inquiry she predicts this number to be "significantly more".
The Inquiry is primarily focused on Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), formed in 2017 from the merger of North and South Essex Partnership Trusts.
It is also looking at the deaths of Essex patients at inpatient units run by private providers and facilities run by other NHS organisations, such as North East London NHS Foundation Trust.
Emma thought she was completely alone in her case before she heard about the Lampard Inquiry last October.
"I wish more people had heard of it, I think so many more families would come forward and give evidence.
"I thought my father's case was an exception, I was mortified to find thousands of other families had lost loved ones from the same failings.
"It's been absolutely heart-breaking to hear."
Emma Sorrell hopes the Inquiry will achieve parity in esteem between mental and physical healthcare NHS services.
"These failings, and this number of deaths, would never have happened within NHS physical healthcare services.
The inquiry has highlighted issues with data collection and transparency.
Deborah Cole, from the charity Inquest, described how there was no "complete set of statistics in relation to those who die in mental health detention".
The Inquiry's also exposed staff shortage issues, lack of candour in care, and cases of physical and sexual abuse.
CEO of EPUT, Mr Paul Scott, has apologised to the Inquiry for deaths under the trust's care and stated that he believes EPUT should remain the provider of mental health services in Essex.
The Lampard Inquiry is taking place in central London until October 2026, with final recommendations expected in 2027.