Outcome of Lampard Inquiry delayed by six months

11 minutes ago

Stuart WoodwardEssex

News image — Baroness Lampard's report and recommendations are now not expected until mid-2028

PA Media Baroness Kate Lampard wears a black jacket over a white shirt. She stands in front of a white background with the wording "Lampard Inquiry" in black letters, followed by three coloured dots. — Baroness Lampard's report and recommendations are now not expected until mid-2028

The outcome of a public inquiry into more than 2,000 mental health-related deaths has been delayed by more than six months, following changes to its timetable.

The Lampard Inquiry is looking at deaths in NHS mental health service care in Essex between 2000 and 2023.

The inquiry was due to conclude in autumn 2026 before the inquiry's chair - Baroness Lampard - considered her recommendations, but an evidence session in April has now been cancelled.

Two additional hearings have been announced for early 2027 with closing statements in the summer, before Baroness Lampard's final report and recommendations are expected to be published in mid-2028.

The Lampard Inquiry is the first public inquiry specifically looking into mental health deaths.

It aims to understand what happened to patients who died at child and adult inpatient units, focusing on Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) and North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT), along with organisations that existed previously.

Richard Daniel/BBC Family members stand outside Arundel House in London protesting. They are holding up banners. One reads: 'Our loved ones cannot rest in peace until the truth about Essex mental health failings are exposed'. — The inquiry has heard from more than 80 bereaved families

Beginning in September 2024, the inquiry has heard from more than 80 bereaved families, with 13 more due to give evidence at the next set of hearings between 2 February and 16 February this year.

So far, the inquiry has heard concerns about safeguarding, staff training, and the use of technology in patient's bedrooms.

But in a statement, Baroness Lampard said that the following public evidence session - due to run from 20 April to 7 May - had been cancelled, and would instead be used to pre-record evidence from bereaved families and those with lived experiences.

Baroness Lampard said there had been "some delay" in receiving material - such as witness statements and documents - from EPUT, as well as others.

"Unfortunately, such delays have impacted the ability of the Inquiry to progress investigations and other work as quickly as I would like," she said.

The cancellation would "permit sufficient time [for the inquiry] to undertake its investigative work and collate related evidence", Baroness Lampard said, as well as allowing her "to attend to a personal medical matter at that time".

'Challenges'

Paul Scott, CEO of EPUT, said the trust was "fully committed to doing all we can to support the Inquiry, and I want to apologise to all involved about the impact of any delays in providing information".

"The challenges of identifying information across a 24-year period and two predecessor organisations have been more difficult than any of us could have foreseen," he added.

"We continue to do all we can to support Baroness Lampard and her team in their vital work."

A spokesperson for NELFT said it would "continue to fully engage in the Inquiry and to support the Inquiry's work to improve mental health services".

Stuart Woodward/BBC Sam Cook stands in front of a row of houses with a road, parked cars and grass verge in front. Sam has chest-length black hair. She wears a black T-shirt and has black-rimed glasses, as well as red lipstick. Sam has a large tattoo on her neck and a sleeve tattoo on her right arm. — The inquiry will hear more evidence from bereaved families in February, including Sam Cook, who lost her sister, Paula Parretti

Baroness Lampard said she had also considered a submission from Hodge Jones & Allan (HJA) - which represents more than 120 bereaved families at the inquiry - that "a short pause" in proceedings was "likely to be in the public interest".

Nina Ali, partner at HJA, said they were "delighted" the inquiry's timetable had been extended.

But she added they were "extremely disappointed that Baroness Lampard is still refusing to engage Article 2 [of the European Convention of Human Rights] in the inquiry, which protects the right to life and requires a rigorous investigation where deaths may have occurred".

Ali said the decision "risks limiting the scope of the inquiry, and we would urge her to reconsider", adding that the inquiry was "too important to get wrong".

Baroness Lampard said she was "not persuaded" by the points raised by HJA, and she was "satisfied that the approach as set out in the investigative strategy is appropriate and lawful".

The changes to the inquiry's timetable mean the first hearing related to systemic issues will now be in July 2026, where themes due to be explored include sexual safety and older adult care.

Two further evidence sessions have been announced for January and April 2027, with closing statements due to run from 14 to 24 June 2027.

Baroness Lampard's final report and recommendations are now expected by mid-2028, nearly four years after the inquiry started.