Latest news with #BaronessLampard
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mental health inquiry on troubling path
A lawyer representing more than 120 bereaved families at a mental health public inquiry has warned the hearing is in danger of heading "down a troubling path". The Lampard Inquiry is looking into the deaths of more than 2,000 people under mental health services in Essex between 2000 and 2023. Nina Ali, partner at Hodge Jones & Allen solicitors, said some of the evidence during May's hearings in central London had left their clients "with an overwhelming sense of dissatisfaction". Baroness Lampard, in the chair for the inquiry, said she was "profoundly conscious" of the disappointment felt by some of the core participants. The majority of mental health services in Essex are now run by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT). The trust was due to give evidence at the inquiry on Wednesday relating to its use of Oxevision – a monitoring and alert system used on some of its wards and units to make sure patients are not harming themselves. A late submission of evidence by EPUT, which contained substantial changes to its previous position, was described as "highly unsatisfactory" by the inquiry's chief counsel and a decision was taken to postpone the hearing. Baroness Lampard said she was "extremely dissatisfied" with EPUT, which apologised afterwards for not sharing details sooner. "EPUT's late submission of the Oxevision evidence - despite being aware of the deadlines - shows a blatant disregard for the families," Ms Ali said. "We are concerned that if this behaviour is tolerated, it will send the inquiry down a troubling path." Melanie Leahy campaigned for more than a decade for a public inquiry following the death of her 20-year-old son Matthew in 2012 at the Linden Centre mental health unit in Chelmsford. "Baroness Lampard has vowed to 'seek out' the truth during this inquiry but I fear history will repeat itself and she will come up against the various brick walls I have over the last 13 years of campaigning for the truth," she said. "I sincerely hope this is not the case. "EPUT's decision to submit evidence late… is not behaviour that shocks me. "The total disregard for the families, who should always be at the heart of this inquiry, is indicative of how we have been treated by the trust for over a decade." Sally Mizon - whose husband Mark Tyler died in 2012 - said she was "extremely disappointed" with the level of progress of the Lampard Inquiry so far. Mr Tyler shot his mother and then himself in Crays Hill near Basildon in September 2012. An inquest into his death heard he had attended a mental health assessment just weeks earlier, and that he had been "repeatedly ignored and let down by the system he consistently asked for help from". "I hope the next stage of the inquiry will quash my fears of a cover-up and demonstrate that it is a collaborative investigation which proves a clear desire to keep us - the families - at the heart of the process," Ms Mizon said. Addressing the inquiry on Monday, Baroness Lampard said she was "profoundly conscious that some core participants may be disappointed with the decision I have made to postpone hearing evidence in relation to Oxevision". "My decision… should not be viewed in any way as enabling EPUT to avoid answering questions about its use of Oxevision or to evade responsibility - quite the reverse," she added. "I wish to make it clear that I am extremely dissatisfied with EPUT's late submission of evidence. I have said previously, and I repeat, that I will not hesitate to use my statutory powers to compel evidence should this be required." A spokesperson for EPUT confirmed to the BBC that its new standard operating procedure regarding the use of Oxevision came into effect on 7 May. "We have to react to changing guidance around many areas of the delivery of care and have been reviewing our operating procedure for the use of Oxevision remote monitoring technology following new NHS guidance which was released in February 2025," the spokesperson said. "The review has been completed and the new standard operating procedure is now in place. "We apologise to Baroness Lampard and anyone impacted that we didn't share details of changes sooner." The trust's chief executive Paul Scott has apologised for deaths under his trust's care. Giving evidence to the inquiry, Mr Scott said the testimonies of bereaved relatives had been "brave, powerful and heartbreaking". The next evidence sessions at the inquiry are due to be held in July at Arundel House Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Mental health boss 'heartbroken' by patient deaths Charity boss slams 'reprehensible' health trusts 'The NHS at its worst', ex-ombudsman tells inquiry What is the Lampard Inquiry and what could it change? Lampard Inquiry
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Essex mental health inquiry chairwoman 'dissatisfied' with trust
The chairwoman of the public inquiry into more than 2,000 mental health deaths in Essex said she was "extremely dissatisfied" with a health trust's late submission of Lampard was due to hear evidence on Wednesday about a monitoring and alert system, called Oxevision, on wards and units operated by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT).But the Lampard Inquiry was told EPUT submitted a witness statement at the end of last week showing it had made "very substantial changes" to its use of Oxevision, leaving legal teams less than three working days to review EPUT spokesperson said it apologised to Baroness Lampard for not sharing details sooner. 'Highly unsatisfactory' Oxevision is designed to help staff monitor the safety of patients in their bedrooms and bathrooms by using infrared sensors, and to reduce the number of self-harming Griffin KC, lead counsel to the inquiry in London, described how they were due to hear evidence on Wednesday relating to Oxevision from three witnesses, including Zephan Trent, executive director of strategy, transformation and digital and senior information risk officer at inquiry was told on Tuesday that Mr Trent had made a "brief reference" in a witness statement in March that a review was being undertaken of EPUT's use of Oxevision, and that the inquiry would be updated about the review's outcome, but "no further information was given".The inquiry was then informed on Wednesday last week "after working hours" that EPUT would be serving an additional witness statement, which was not received until mid-morning on Griffin described it as an "unacceptably short" timeframe, giving legal teams for the inquiry and core participants just days to review and consider additional statement revealed "very substantial changes" to the use of Oxevision technology, Mr Griffin said, "which were only authorised at board level last Wednesday"."The situation is, to say the least, highly unsatisfactory," Mr Griffin told the inquiry, explaining that due to the "extremely late disclosure" from EPUT, the planned evidence sessions on Wednesday would be postponed to a future date. After Mr Griffin's statement, Baroness Lampard said "the use of Oxevision is, and will remain, a matter of significant interest for the inquiry"."My decision to postpone evidence into this area should not be viewed in any way as enabling EPUT to avoid answering questions about its use of Oxevision or to evade responsibility - quite the reverse," she said."I wish to make it clear that I am extremely dissatisfied with EPUT's late submission of evidence."I have said previously, and I repeat, that I will not hesitate to use my statutory powers to compel evidence should this be required."The inquiry - which is looking into the deaths of more than 2,000 people under mental health services in Essex between 2000 and 2023 - announced on Tuesday afternoon that it will hold a private evidence session on Wednesday with Hat Porter, a representative of Stop Oxevision, which would be made public in due course. Apology A spokesperson for EPUT confirmed to the BBC that its new standard operating procedure regarding the use of Oxevision came into effect on 7 May."We have to react to changing guidance around many areas of the delivery of care and have been reviewing our operating procedure for the use of Oxevision remote monitoring technology following new NHS guidance which was released in February 2025," the spokesperson said."The review has been completed and the new standard operating procedure is now in place."We apologise to Baroness Lampard and anyone impacted that we didn't share details of changes sooner." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
