‘We don’t want other families to suffer’

For mothers Melanie Leahy and Lisa Morris, the long wait for a full public inquiry into the deaths of mentally ill people in Essex is finally over.

on monday Baroness Lampard launches new hearing They looked at inpatient deaths in the care of successive NHS trusts over a 23-year period, and the findings could have implications for mental health care nationwide.

Among those who lost their lives was Mr Leahy’s son Matthew, who was found unconscious in 2012 at a facility now run by Essex Partnership University Trust (EPUT).

Asked what she wants from the investigation, her answer is simple: “No more deaths.”

Matthew, 20, was detained under the Mental Health Act and then transferred to the Linden Centre in Chelmsford.

He was being cared for by the Early Intervention for Psychosis team run by North Essex Partnership NHS Trust (NEP), one of the predecessor organisations to EPUT.

He reported that he had been raped at the facility a few days before his death, but after the interview police took no further action.

But staff failed to follow the trust’s own policies following the allegations and it was discovered that the care plan had been falsified – it was prepared after his death.

His mother says she wants the commission to use its enhanced powers to obtain documents it has not yet seen.

“There are things like internal investigations and internal statements. I haven’t read them. There are documents I was not aware of before that need to be produced right now,” she said.

“It’s been a tough battle to get to this point.”

Ombudsman’s report In 2020, the NEP said they failed to allocate a key worker to Matthew appropriately, did not plan his care effectively, did not engage with him consistently, did not manage observations properly, did not adequately assess or manage risks and did not look after his physical health adequately.

A jury inquest in 2015 concluded that Matthew had been “subjected to a series of multiple failures and missed opportunities by those entrusted with his care over a long period of time”.

Ben Morris also died in 2008 at the age of 20 while hospitalized at the Linden Center.

The wardrobe used to hang himself the previous year had been labelled “less dangerous” but it had since been fixed to the wall, making it more dangerous.

His mother, Lisa, hopes the research will ensure “proper care for the next generation of people with mental illness”.

“I never want to see this happen to another family,” she said.

In 2021, EPUT was found guilty The North Essex Partnership was fined £1.5 million under the Health and Safety at Work Act in relation to 11 fatal accidents at the Linden Centre and other facilities it ran between 2004 and 2015.

Prosecutors said the presence of a “fixed potential ligature point” amounted to a violation of safety laws.

“At the heart of this case are a number of interrelated failures by the trust,” Judge Kavanagh said in his judgment.

Both Matthew and Ben’s cases have been taken up by prosecutors and EPUT chief executive Paul Scott has apologised and said he is committed to learning lessons.

The procedure is as follows: The original inquiry has been upgraded A new chairman was then appointed and given full legal recognition.

That was 16 years after Ben passed away.

“He would have turned 36 in September,” his mother said. “I think about it all the time.”

Morris hopes the new powers will allow the speaker to “investigate thoroughly” and compel more witnesses to testify.

she, Several former employees have come forward During the previous enquiry.

For Leahy, it’s “too painful” to think about what her life would have been like if her son had survived.

She says she has to suppress certain emotions “in order to function.”

What does she hope to achieve with this research?

“Change. Of course I want answers but I want meaningful change because everything that’s happened in Essex has happened elsewhere and we need a fundamental reform of the whole system.”

“This is as important as a post office investigation or an infected blood investigation,” said Priya Singh, whose firm is currently representing 126 families.

The families have written to Health Minister Wes Streeting, asking him to convene a meeting to ensure findings from the inquiry are reflected in all mental health services.

“Families’ voices need to be heard. If their voices are heard, change will happen,” she added.

Following consultation, new codes of practice were published earlier this year.

Lampard Survey The second phase beginsPublic hearings will also be held to gather evidence.

Morris wants to see real change in the way inpatient psychiatric care is provided.

At the top of her list is “a good, safe hospital with caring staff.”

For her friend Melanie, it boils down to one word: accountability.

Speaking ahead of the investigation, EPUT Chief Scott said his thoughts were with those who had lost loved ones.

“We will continue to do all we can to support Baroness Lampard and her team to provide the answers patients, families and carers need,” he said.

The North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT), which provides child and adolescent mental health services in parts of Essex and will be investigated in the inquiry, said: “We will continue to support the inquiry to help families understand the circumstances of the loss of their loved ones.”

“Patient safety is our absolute priority and we are committed to learning from our investigation activities.”

• If you’re affected by the issues discussed in this story, you can get help and support at the links below: BBC Action Line