Lampard Inquiry: Statutory Inquiry into deaths in Essex mental health services resumed on 13 October 2025

On 9 September 2024, a statutory public inquiry opened into the deaths of mental health inpatients in Essex.

The Lampard Inquiry was set up to investigate the deaths of mental health inpatients (ToR here) in Essex between 2000 and 2023. This is the first public inquiry into mental health services that has ever been held in England and established by a Minister.

This phase of Inquiry’s public hearings will be held from 15 October to 30 October. The hearing will be in-person at Arundel House in London and will also be streamed online for those wishing to follow the proceedings remotely. You can view October’s hearing details here. 

Maya Sikand KC, and Laura Profumo act for five bereaved families and a former patient represented by Emma Jones of Leigh Day, Aimee Brackfield of Irwin Mitchell and Christina Juman of Deighton Pierce Glynn. 

Fiona Murphy KC and Sophy Miles act for two bereaved families and a former patient instructed by Jane Ryan of Bhatt Murphy Solicitors.

Tom Stoate acts for three bereaved families, and the campaign group Stop Oxevision, instructed by Rachel Harger and Khariya Ali of Bindmans and led by Brenda Campbell KC of Lincoln House Chambers.

The hearings will consider key evidence on the use of the controversial vision-based monitoring system, Oxevision, on mental health wards (see here for more details). It will also continue to hear the accounts of bereaved Families failed by the Essex NHS Trusts.