Play all audios:
An inquiry into the deaths of 2,000 mental health inpatients in Essex is being held up by the unwillingness of staff to participate in the process. The Essex Mental Health Independent
Inquiry was established in January 2021 as a non-statutory, independent inquiry to investigate the circumstances around the deaths of mental health inpatients across NHS trusts in Essex
between January 2000 and December 2020. > "This is inadequate to meet our terms of reference" > > Geraldine Strathdee The inquiry was scheduled to publish a report
outlining its findings later this year, but cannot do so because only 11 out of 14,000 current and former members of staff have agreed to assist the inquiry by taking part in an evidence
session, the chair of the inquiry, Dr Geraldine Strathdee, has said. In July 2022, Dr Strathdee, a psychiatrist by background, issued an appeal to staff who worked with mental health
inpatients in Essex during the 21-year period covered by the inquiry to come forward to share their experiences and insights. Letters from the inquiry were sent to more than 14,000 current
and former members of staff from the relevant trusts including people who were involved in key cases being looked into by the inquiry. But in an open letter published on 12 January, Dr
Strathdee described the number of responses as “hugely disappointing”, adding that the inquiry would be unable to proceed in its current non-statutory form, under which staff cannot be
compelled to give evidence under oath. She wrote that she and her team had “worked extensively” to engage staff and former staff to give evidence and that she was “incredibly grateful” to
those who had done so. But she added that despite efforts to provide reassurance to staff, and to remind them of their duty to comply with the inquiry under their professional codes of
conduct, the number of responses was “inadequate”. Dr Strathdee wrote: “The number of responses has been hugely disappointing. “Of the over 14,000 staff written to, we have received a small
number of written comments from staff and, to date, only 11 have said they would attend an evidence session. “Where we have also written directly to some of those involved in the cases of
deceased patients we are investigating, one in four have responded to say they will provide evidence. This is inadequate to meet our terms of reference.” Dr Strathdee added that she had been
working to deliver the inquiry in its non-statutory form, which she had considered “entirely appropriate”. But she added: “However, in the event that staff engagement remains very poor, it
is my view that the inquiry will not be able to meet its terms of reference with a non-statutory status.” > “A national statutory inquiry would give a voice to all those who > have
experienced poor care over the years" > > Paul Spencer The inquiry was launched by then mental health minister Nadine Dorries and covers inpatient deaths at the former North
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, the former South Essex Partnership University Trust and the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, which took over
responsibility for mental health services in Essex from 2017. It was sparked by a Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report which found significant failings in the care and treatment
of two young men who died shortly after being admitted to North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust. Following Dr Strathdee’s letter, mental health charity Mind has called for
a statutory public inquiry into inpatient mental health care not only in Essex but across England. Paul Spencer, head of health, policy and campaigns at Mind, said there had been a “steady
stream” of reports and investigations in recent months uncovering “dehumanising, traumatic and unsafe treatment” of people on mental health wards across the country. “A national statutory
inquiry would give a voice to all those who have experienced poor care over the years, and to those like the families in Essex, who have lost loved ones,” said Mr Spencer.