The Essex Mental Health Inquiry was established in January 2021 by Nadine Dorries to investigate the number of deaths that occurred under the Essex Mental Health services and the quality of care provided. The estimated number of deaths that fall under the inquiry’s purview is 2,000. The inquiry is looking at 21 years, from 1st January 2000 to 31st December 2020.
The inquiry was commissioned after a 2019 investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman found numerous failings surrounding the deaths of 20-year-old Matthew Leahy and another man named Mr R.
What were the terms of reference?
The terms of reference were published after the commission of the inquiry in August 2021. The first aim was to look at the care and treatment pathways of the people who had died whilst under the care of the trusts. Secondly, the inquiry would assess the level of communication the trusts had with the patient and their support network.
Next on the agenda was to consider the culture and leadership that may have prevented the trusts from improving patient care. As there have been previous investigations into mental health inpatient deaths, the inquiry will analyse those and their recommendations.
Finally, the inquiry will make its own recommendations to ensure that future mental health inpatients receive safe and appropriate treatment and care.
What is currently happening?
The inquiry is currently still collecting evidence and talking to a number of witnesses. There are 14,000 current or former staff and of those 25% have agreed to provide evidence to the inquiry. Only 11 members of staff have agreed to give live submissions, however.
Whilst the inquiry is currently non-statuary, there have been discussions about whether to upgrade its power to have full legal status. One benefit would be that the inquiry can compel witnesses to testify which would provide a greater depth of evidence to consider.
Families’ views
Whilst the establishment of an inquiry is a step in the right direction, the bereaved families associated with the deaths are not happy with the lack of legal powers.
They would prefer that the inquiry be upgraded to a statutory inquiry as the witnesses can be compelled to give evidence. They feel as though this would better reflect the seriousness of the allegations and may help uncover what actually happened to their loved ones.
What happens next?
Once the evidence has been collected it will need to be analysed. The report will then be published along with any recommendations it feels necessary to improve and safeguard patients under mental health services. It is expected that the report will be released in Spring 2023, though this can change as witnesses are spoken to and evidence is collected.
