Medical Negligence

The Lampard Inquiry

Standing with Families Impacted by The Essex Mental Health Tragedies

HJA represent the largest cohort of core participants and those with lived experience in the Lampard Inquiry, a statutory inquiry investigating over 2000 inpatient mental health deaths in Essex.

In 2020, a petition led by Melanie Leahy whose 20-year-old son died whilst an inpatient at the Linden Centre, was signed by 100,000+ people. Many of these like Melanie were bereaved parents and families, whose loved ones had died whilst in hospital. The petition called for a full Statutory Public Inquiry into what were clearly catastrophic failings in the care and treatment being provided to vulnerable patients under Mental Health Services across Essex. This led to a debate in Parliament in November 2020, followed by the launch of a non-Statutory Inquiry chaired by Dr Geraldine Strathdee in January 2021. This was not what the families were asking for. Families affected by these unnecessary deaths refused to engage in what they considered to be an ineffective Inquiry.

Hodge Jones and Allen supported Melanie Leahy and 80 other families in their tireless campaigning for the Essex Mental Health Independent Inquiry to be converted into a full Statutory Inquiry. On 28 June 2023, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, announced that the Essex Mental Health Independent Inquiry will be granted statutory status under the Inquiries Act 2005. In October 2023 the Inquiry was relaunched as The Lampard Inquiry.

Contact our Public Inquiry Team on

0330 173 2275

or request a call back.

The Lampard Inquiry, formerly known as the Essex Mental Health Inquiry, – Latest News Update

11 April: April Hearing Information

March 2025

7 March: Disclosure update – March 2025

February 2025

20 February: Update on the List of Issues

5 February: Lampard Inquiry appoints three Independent Assessors to provide clinical frontline knowledge and expertise

December 2024

13 December: Open letter: End of Year Update from The Chair to the Inquiry

September 2024

17 September: Impact Statement from Melanie Leahy, whose son Mathew died in Linden Centre mental health unit

9 September: Hearing Day 01 Opening Statements made by the Chair of the Inquiry, Baroness Kate Lampard CBE followed by Counsel to the Inquiry, Nick Griffin KC

3 September: Additional information on the September Opening Hearings

August 2024

20 August: Express an interest in attending our public hearings

19 August: Update on emotional support

July 2024

24 July: The Inquiry has announced further information and details on the September 2024 public hearings.

June 2024

17 June: Update on core participation applications and upcoming public hearings.

April 2024

22 April: Chair of the Lampard Inquiry invites initial participants for core participant status

11 April: HJA Respond To Terms Of Reference For The Lampard Inquiry Announcement

10 April: The final Terms of Reference were published.

March 2024

13 March: Baroness Kate Lampard CBE, Chair of the Inquiry, has published the update on the Terms of Reference.

November 2023

1 November: Public consultation on Terms of Reference for Lampard Inquiry launched. The consultation will run for four weeks, closing on 28 November. See Lampard Inquiry Updates for full details.

October 2023

31 October: Growing number of families seek justice ahead of Essex Mental Health Statutory Inquiry

September 2023

6 September: Baroness Kate Lampard CBE appointed as Chair of Essex Mental Health Inquiry

To view all news articles: News & Insights

June 2023

28 June: Success For Essex Families – Inquiry Receives Statutory Status! The Government has confirmed today that they will convert the Essex Mental Health Inquiry into a statutory inquiry.

12 June: Hodge Jones & Allen gives notice to file judicial review application regarding the current Essex Mental Health Inquiry’s non statutory status

An open letter was sent by Hodge Jones & Allen to Dr Geraldine Strathdee the chair of the current non statutory inquiry Updates – Essex Mental Health Independent Inquiry (emhii.org.uk)

With ongoing silence and the absence of a positive announcement from Government, Hodge Jones & Allen is proceeding with an application for judicial review on behalf of the families.

May 2023

22 May: Melanie Leahy sent an open letter to Steve Barclay MP

16 May: Campaigners’ echo Chair’s renewed plea for statutory public inquiry into Essex mental health care

Dr Geraldine Strathdee, Chair of the Essex Mental Health Inquiry provided an update, on 15 May 2023, and published her latest letter to Health Minister, Steve Barclay MP stating in the clearest terms that the current Essex Mental Health Inquiry needs to move to a statutory footing to meet its terms of reference.

Campaigners and supporters continued to be frustrated by the ongoing delay and maintain their plea for the current proceedings to be given statutory status to ensure a robust process resulting in recommendations for improvement into mental health services to prevent further deaths and keep people safe.

April 2023

19 April: Leading mental health charity SANE joins call for Statutory Public Inquiry.

Before Easter, families spoke to iNews and the Guardian to share their personal stories and current frustration with Government as pressure continues for a full Statutory Public Essex Mental Health Inquiry

7 April, The Guardian: ‘It’s pointless’: relatives lambast Essex mental health inquiry
Haroon Siddique, Legal Affairs Correspondent spoke to families waiting for a Statutory Public Inquiry.

3 April, The iNews: NHS mental health services face full public inquiry to force staff to give evidence.

Melanie Leahy, a Hodge Jones & Allen client has spent the last 13 years campaigning #Matthewscampaign for a statutory public inquiry and when speaking to the Independent newspaper she said that the Government “now have the opportunity to change mental health services given how many tragic failings there have been and continue to be”.

If you or a family member has been affected by the care provision of Essex Partnership University Trust (EPUT) and wish to have a confidential conversation with our lawyers who are representing over 80 families, please call 0330 822 3451 or email our team at essexinquiry@hja.net.

March 2023

The campaign has been publicly supported by a growing number of MPs, including:

Sir John Whittingdale, Conservative MP for Maldon

Priti Patel, Conservative MP for Witham

Vicky Ford, Conservative MP for Chelmsford

Barbara Keeley, Labour MP for Worsley and Eccles South

Sam Tarry MP, Labour MP for Ilford South

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MP for Tooting

8 March: The latest to join calls for a statutory public inquiry into the deaths is leading autism researcher Professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, Director of the Autism Research centre at the University of Cambridge.

"I cannot thank HJA for all their support and help throughout my case... It was a difficult and emotional time but they were there for me. All procedures were explained with patience and understanding at a sensitive time."