{"id":26742,"date":"2025-04-28T15:18:47","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T15:18:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=26742"},"modified":"2025-04-28T17:24:33","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T17:24:33","slug":"mental-health-inquiry-chair-vows-to-seek-out-truth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=26742","title":{"rendered":"Mental health inquiry chair vows to &#8216;seek out&#8217; truth"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-component=\"byline-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dEGcKf\">\n<div data-testid=\"byline-new\" class=\"sc-801dd632-0 eSlECZ\">\n<div class=\"sc-801dd632-1 eeJXtz\">2 hours ago<\/p>\n<p><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Share\" class=\"sc-42d8a745-2 sc-42d8a745-5 sc-42d8a745-6 bHDbVj ffpPdD htCKMu\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-42d8a745-0 jNAQSQ\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-42d8a745-1 cwJkjb\">Share<\/span><\/button><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Save\" class=\"sc-42d8a745-2 sc-42d8a745-5 sc-42d8a745-6 bcpeIB fxnHdQ fYsCgf\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-42d8a745-0 jNAQSQ\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-42d8a745-1 cwJkjb\">Save<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"byline-new-contributors\" class=\"sc-801dd632-12 bwIYVa\">\n<div class=\"sc-801dd632-5 kRoBHa\">\n<div><span class=\"sc-801dd632-7 lasLGY\">Nikki Fox<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Health correspondent, BBC East<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-801dd632-5 kRoBHa\">\n<div><span class=\"sc-801dd632-7 lasLGY\">Lewis Adams<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>BBC News, Essex<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Share\" class=\"sc-42d8a745-2 sc-42d8a745-5 sc-42d8a745-6 bHDbVj ffpPdD htCKMu\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-42d8a745-0 jNAQSQ\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-42d8a745-1 cwJkjb\">Share<\/span><\/button><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Save\" class=\"sc-42d8a745-2 sc-42d8a745-5 sc-42d8a745-6 bcpeIB fxnHdQ fYsCgf\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-42d8a745-0 jNAQSQ\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-42d8a745-1 cwJkjb\">Save<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 gyQxwn\">\n<div data-testid=\"hero-image\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-1 eOgpjw\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/8f1095d0-2439-11f0-a39f-efaa71114000.jpg.webp\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"PA Media Baroness Lampard sits in the inquiry office at Arundel House in London. She is wearing a white shirt and navy suit. Her glasses are rounded and tortoiseshell in colour and she is looking direct at the camera with her hair up. She is wearing pearl earrings and is sitting in front of an information folder\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe\" \/><span class=\"sc-4abb68ca-2 kkAKIJ\">PA Media<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dEGcKf\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">The chair of England&#8217;s first public inquiry into mental health deaths vowed to &#8220;seek out the truth&#8221; &#8211; despite difficulties getting documents from the NHS.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">The first key evidence sessions in the Lampard Inquiry &#8211; examining more than 2,000 deaths at NHS inpatient units in Essex between 2000 and 2023 &#8211; have begun in London.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Baroness Lampard said although the hearing was &#8220;breaking new ground&#8221;, 21 legal notices had been issued to NHS organisations to force them to submit evidence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">&#8220;We will seek out the truth,&#8221; she said, adding she would not hesitate to use her legal powers &#8220;to the fullest extent necessary to compel the production of evidence where it&#8217;s not provided&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dEGcKf\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Baroness Lampard said the inquiry was of &#8220;national significance&#8221; as it focussed on &#8220;the big critical concerns about what went wrong over almost a quarter of a century&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hoQmHM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-1 eOgpjw\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-0 itgEAh hide-when-no-script\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/eda0dc10-2419-11f0-9060-674316cb3a1f.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"RICHARD DANIEL\/BBC Families standing outside Arundel House in London where the public inquiry is entering its next phase. There are about 12 people pictures who are holding placards and posters and flags calling for justice. One reads &#039;If lessons had been learned, there would have only been one death.\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe\" \/><span class=\"sc-4abb68ca-2 kkAKIJ\">RICHARD DANIEL\/BBC<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dEGcKf\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Counsel to the inquiry, Nicholas Griffin KC, said: &#8220;We have been unimpressed with a significant number of requests for deadline extensions&#8230; and the number of occasions where providers have not given the material expressly asked for.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">He said there were problems with the condition of paper records, &#8220;missing documents&#8221; and providers, including private ones, sending information late.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Mr Griffin said it was a criminal offence to suppress, conceal, alter, or destroy relevant evidence and said providers should be properly resourced to respond to the inquiry. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">He said the inquiry should not be delayed because of it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hoQmHM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-1 eOgpjw\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-0 itgEAh hide-when-no-script\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/a0f8b990-241a-11f0-9060-674316cb3a1f.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"RICHARD DANIEL\/BBC Family members stand outside Arundel House in London protesting. They are holding up banners. One reads: &#039;Our loved ones cannot rest in peace until the truth about Essex mental health failings are exposed&#039;.\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe\" \/><span class=\"sc-4abb68ca-2 kkAKIJ\">RICHARD DANIEL\/BBC<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dEGcKf\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">The original government investigation into the deaths of inpatients stalled after only 11 out of 14,000 staff agreed to take part.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">But Mr Griffin said the inquiry was still facing barriers in the flow of information.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">He said the inquiry team had asked providers and regulators for a reassurance that they would not take action against staff if they provided information to the inquiry or failed to provide it in the past.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">He said almost all, including the largest providers, declined to give such undertakings and said the inquiry was reflecting on what further steps to take.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dEGcKf\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Over the next three weeks, Baroness Lampard will hear from care regulators, experts, and the chief executive of the Essex Partnership NHS University Trust (EPUT).<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">She said she would confront difficult topics &#8220;head on&#8221; and promised to keep those affected at the &#8220;heart of the inquiry,&#8221; adding that she wanted to make &#8220;lasting, positive recommendations to improve mental healthcare&#8221; across England.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hoQmHM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-1 eOgpjw\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-0 itgEAh hide-when-no-script\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/81af14d0-241a-11f0-9060-674316cb3a1f.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"RICHARD DANIEL\/BBC Melanie Leahy outside the inquiry. She is holding a picture of her with her son, Matthew. She has shoulder-length blonde hair and is wearing a sand-coloured jacket. Other protesters are either side of her.\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe\" \/><span class=\"sc-4abb68ca-2 kkAKIJ\">RICHARD DANIEL\/BBC<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dEGcKf\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Melanie Leahy, whose 20-year-old son Matthew <a target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c8j7y97njxno\" class=\"sc-f9178328-0 bGFWdi\">died under NHS care<\/a>, was joined by fellow campaigners outside the hearing at Arundel House.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">She said: &#8220;It&#8217;s been years of heartbreak, unanswered questions and fighting just to be heard.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Ms Leahy, who campaigned for more than a decade for an inquiry, said it was a real chance to get the truth.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">&#8220;At Matthew&#8217;s inquest, they [those in charge of EPUT] walked out of the back door and didn&#8217;t speak to anybody, let&#8217;s bring them out now.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Campaigners and lawyers acting for bereaved families have alleged mental health services are still unsafe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">It is understood the inquiry team has referred ongoing concerns to regulators.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Mr Griffin said they would be looking at what recent inquests and deaths may reveal about the extent to which the issues in Essex &#8220;are really being addressed&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 hoQmHM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-1 eOgpjw\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-0 itgEAh hide-when-no-script\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/95513c70-242e-11f0-b474-cfd8b4328741.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Nottingham Trent University Dr Emma Ireton from Nottingham Trent University looking at the camera. She has shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes. She is wearing a long sleeved, while shirt and a white necklace.\" class=\"sc-4abb68ca-0 ldLcJe\" \/><span class=\"sc-4abb68ca-2 kkAKIJ\">Nottingham Trent University<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dEGcKf\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">He said Dr Emma Ireton, an associate professor from Nottingham Law School, would be producing a report on how the inquiry&#8217;s final recommendations will be implemented.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">EPUT chief executive Paul Scott has apologised for deaths under his trust&#8217;s care.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">He said: &#8220;As the inquiry progresses, there will be many accounts of people who were much loved and missed over the past 24 years and I want to say how sorry I am for their loss.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Evidence is due to continue until 15 May and will resume in July.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 hxuGS\">Baroness Lampard is expected to produce her recommendations for change in 2027.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"links-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dHQIrb\">\n<div class=\"sc-666b6d83-0 sc-c4fb5674-0 gMiqnK bPmazG\"><span data-testid=\"links-title\" class=\"sc-c4fb5674-2 jdmgui\">More on this story<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"links-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dHQIrb\">\n<div class=\"sc-666b6d83-0 sc-c4fb5674-0 gMiqnK iuHqSH\"><span data-testid=\"links-title\" class=\"sc-c4fb5674-2 jdmgui\">Related internet links<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2 hours agoShareSaveNikki FoxHealth correspondent, BBC EastLewis AdamsBBC News, EssexShareSavePA MediaThe chair of England&#8217;s first public inquiry into mental health deaths vowed to &#8220;seek out the truth&#8221; &#8211; despite difficulties getting documents from the NHS.The first key evidence sessions in the Lampard Inquiry &#8211; examining more than 2,000 deaths at NHS inpatient units in Essex between 2000 and 2023 &#8211; have begun in London.Baroness Lampard said although the hearing was &#8220;breaking new ground&#8221;, 21 legal notices had been issued to NHS organisations to force them to submit evidence.&#8221;We will seek out the truth,&#8221; she said, adding she would not hesitate to use her legal powers &#8220;to the fullest extent necessary to compel the production of evidence where it&#8217;s not provided&#8221;.Baroness Lampard said the inquiry was of &#8220;national significance&#8221; as it focussed on &#8220;the big critical concerns about what went wrong over almost a quarter of a century&#8221;.RICHARD DANIEL\/BBCCounsel to the inquiry, Nicholas Griffin KC, said: &#8220;We have been unimpressed with a significant number of requests for deadline extensions&#8230; and the number of occasions where providers have not given the material expressly asked for.&#8221;He said there were problems with the condition of paper records, &#8220;missing documents&#8221; and providers, including private ones, sending information late.Mr Griffin said it was a criminal offence to suppress, conceal, alter, or destroy relevant evidence and said providers should be properly resourced to respond to the inquiry. He said the inquiry should not be delayed because of it.RICHARD DANIEL\/BBCThe original government investigation into the deaths of inpatients stalled after only 11 out of 14,000 staff agreed to take part.But Mr Griffin said the inquiry was still facing barriers in the flow of information.He said the inquiry team had asked providers and regulators for a reassurance that they would not take action against staff if they provided information to the inquiry or failed to provide it in the past.He said almost all, including the largest providers, declined to give such undertakings and said the inquiry was reflecting on what further steps to take.Over the next three weeks, Baroness Lampard will hear from care regulators, experts, and the chief executive of the Essex Partnership NHS University Trust (EPUT).She said she would confront difficult topics &#8220;head on&#8221; and promised to keep those affected at the &#8220;heart of the inquiry,&#8221; adding that she wanted to make &#8220;lasting, positive recommendations to improve mental healthcare&#8221; across England.RICHARD DANIEL\/BBCMelanie Leahy, whose 20-year-old son Matthew died under NHS care, was joined by fellow campaigners outside the hearing at Arundel House.She said: &#8220;It&#8217;s been years of heartbreak, unanswered questions and fighting just to be heard.&#8221;Ms Leahy, who campaigned for more than a decade for an inquiry, said it was a real chance to get the truth.&#8221;At Matthew&#8217;s inquest, they [those in charge of EPUT] walked out of the back door and didn&#8217;t speak to anybody, let&#8217;s bring them out now.&#8221;Campaigners and lawyers acting for bereaved families have alleged mental health services are still unsafe.It is understood the inquiry team has referred ongoing concerns to regulators.Mr Griffin said they would be looking at what recent inquests and deaths may reveal about the extent to which the issues in Essex &#8220;are really being addressed&#8221;.Nottingham Trent UniversityHe said Dr Emma Ireton, an associate professor from Nottingham Law School, would be producing a report on how the inquiry&#8217;s final recommendations will be implemented.EPUT chief executive Paul Scott has apologised for deaths under his trust&#8217;s care.He said: &#8220;As the inquiry progresses, there will be many accounts of people who were much loved and missed over the past 24 years and I want to say how sorry I am for their loss.&#8221;Evidence is due to continue until 15 May and will resume in July.Baroness Lampard is expected to produce her recommendations for change in 2027.More on this storyRelated internet links<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26264,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26742","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26742"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26742\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26750,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26742\/revisions\/26750"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/26264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}