‘Our sons died – we want mental health inquiry to bring change’

For mothers Melanie Leahy and Lisa Morris, the agelong hold for a afloat nationalist enquiry into the deaths of intelligence wellness patients successful Essex is yet over.

On Monday Baroness Lampard volition unfastened caller proceedings examining the deaths of inpatients nether the attraction of successive NHS trusts implicit 23 years. The findings could person implications for intelligence healthcare nationally.

Among those who person mislaid their lives is Melanie's son, Matthew, who was recovered unresponsive astatine a portion present operated by Essex Partnership University Trust (EPUT) successful 2012.

When asked what she wants from the inquiry, her reply is elemental - "no much deaths".

Twenty-year-old Matthew had been taken to the Linden Centre successful Chelmsford aft being detained nether the Mental Health Act.

He had been nether the attraction of the Early Intervention successful Psychosis squad operated by 1 of EPUT's predecessor organisations, the North Essex Partnership NHS Trust (NEP).

Days earlier his decease helium reported helium had been raped portion successful the unit, but pursuing a sojourn the constabulary took nary further action.

But unit did not travel the trust's ain argumentation pursuing the allegations and it emerged his attraction program had been falsified. It was written aft his death.

His parent says she wants the enquiry to usage its enhanced powers to get documents that she has inactive not seen.

"There's things similar interior investigations, interior statements. I've ne'er work them. There are documents that I've ne'er been privy to and they request to beryllium produced now," she says.

"It's been a conflict to get this far."

An ombudsman's report successful 2020 stated NEP failed to decently allocate a cardinal idiosyncratic to Matthew. It besides did not program his attraction effectively, prosecute consistently with him, negociate observations appropriately, measure oregon negociate the hazard afloat oregon bash capable to look aft his carnal health.

A assemblage inquest successful 2015 concluded Matthew "was taxable to a bid of aggregate failings and missed opportunities implicit a prolonged play of clip by those entrusted with his care".

Ben Morris besides died portion an inpatient astatine the Linden Centre successful 2008, aged 20.

The twelvemonth before, the wardrobe helium had utilized to bent himself had been identified arsenic "low risk" but was subsequently fixed to a wall, making it much dangerous.

His mother, Lisa, wants the enquiry to guarantee "good attraction for the adjacent procreation of intelligence wellness patients".

"I don't privation to spot this hap to immoderate different families, ever," she says.

In 2021, EPUT was convicted nether the Health and Safety astatine Work Act and fined £1.5m successful narration to 11 deaths astatine the Linden Centre and different settings, past operated by the North Essex Partnership betwixt 2004 and 2015.

The prosecution said the beingness of "fixed imaginable ligature points" amounted to breaches of information laws.

In his sentencing remarks, Mr Justice Cavanagh wrote: "At the bosom of this lawsuit are a fig of interconnected failures by the trust."

Both Matthew and Ben's cases featured successful the prosecution and EPUT's main enforcement Paul Scott apologised, stating it was committed to learning lessons.

The proceedings are getting nether mode aft the original enquiry was upgraded and placed connected a afloat statutory footing, with a caller seat appointed.

It comes 16 years aft Ben died.

"He would person been 36 successful September," says his mum. "I deliberation astir it each the time."

Ms Morris hopes the caller powers volition let the seat to "dig deep" and compel much witnesses to springiness evidence.

She points retired that lone a handful of erstwhile unit came forward astatine the erstwhile inquiry.

For Ms Leahy, it is "too painful" to deliberation astir what her beingness would person been similar if her lad was inactive alive.

She has to unopen down definite emotions "to beryllium capable to function", she says.

What does she anticipation this enquiry volition achieve?

"Change. Obviously I privation my answers but meaningful change. Everything that's happened successful Essex has happened elsewhere, due to the fact that the full strategy needs a extremist shake-up."

Priya Singh, a solicitor whose steadfast presently represents 126 families, says: "This is arsenic important arsenic the Post Office inquiry, arsenic the infected humor inquiry."

The families person sent letters to Health Secretary Wes Streeting asking for a gathering to assistance guarantee immoderate learnings from the enquiry are embedded crossed each intelligence wellness services.

"The families person to person their voices heard. If their voices are heard past alteration is going to happen," she adds.

Following a consultation, the caller Terms of Reference were published earlier this year.

The Lampard Inquiry now begins its signifier two, with nationalist hearings arsenic it gathers evidence.

Ms Morris wants to spot existent alteration successful the mode intelligence wellness inpatients are looked after.

At the apical of her database are "good, harmless hospitals with unit that care".

For her person Melanie, it boils down to 1 word: "Accountability."

Ahead of the inquiry, EPUT's main Mr Scott said his thoughts were with those who had mislaid loved ones.

"We volition proceed to bash each we tin to enactment Baroness Lampard and her squad to supply the answers that patients, families and carers are seeking," helium said.

The North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT), which provides kid and teen intelligence wellness services successful parts of Essex and volition besides beryllium examined successful the inquiry, said: "We volition proceed to enactment with the enquiry to assistance families recognize the circumstances surrounding the nonaccomplishment of their loved ones.

"Patient information is our implicit precedence and we are committed to learning from the enactment of the inquiry."

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