"Mental health patients are among the most vulnerable in society, but services in England have been under huge strain for more than a decade, with sometimes fatal consequences. A public inquiry backed by the government is focusing on deaths in Essex as a starting point, but what is it and what does it hope to achieve? Solicitors representing a growing number of families who have lost loved ones say the Lampard Inquiry is as important as those surrounding the Post Office and infected blood scandals."
"The chairwoman of the inquiry says it is looking at significantly more than 2,000 deaths and the inquiry team says the alleged failings are "on a scale that is deeply shocking". The failures reported in Essex over 24 years could be an indication of what is going on elsewhere. By examining those failures in detail, it is hoped mental healthcare will be improved across England."
Mental health services in England have faced prolonged strain for over a decade, with alleged failings linked to more than 2,000 deaths concentrated in Essex. The Lampard Inquiry, chaired by Baroness Kate Lampard, examines those deaths as a starting point and aims to identify systemic failings and recommend reforms to improve care nationally. Public inquiries are government-funded, led independently, can compel witness evidence but not from bereaved families, and publish recommendations which the government may accept or ignore. The Department of Health emphasises that every patient deserves high-quality care, dignity and respect. Families and solicitors equate the inquiry’s significance with other major public scandals.
Read at www.bbc.com
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