Mental Health – Time for Action Foundation have long supported the call for a full statutory public inquiry into deaths of mental health inpatients in Essex. This campaign was initiated by Melanie Leahy following the death of her son Matthew while he was an inpatient at the Linden Centre Essex in 2012.

Melanie and many others have campaigned tirelessly for more than a decade for a statutory public inquiry. On 27 October 2023 the original inquiry was converted to a statutory inquiry and is an ongoing investigation into the deaths of mental health inpatients in Essex between 2000 and 2023.

Read more on the Lampard Inquiry website here.

The first key evidence sessions in the Lampard Inquiry began in London 28th April 2025 and Baroness Lampard is expected to produce her recommendations for change in 2027.

News Reports

Inquiry deeply worried about elderly mental health BBC News 30 October 2025

Former patients ready to give evidence at Lampard Inquiry into 2,000 Essex mental health deaths ITV News 26 August 2025

Bereaved mothers call for urgent action to fix mental health services Independent 15 July 2025

Mental health failings cited in NHS 10-year plan BBC News 8 July 2025

Mental health boss ‘heartbroken’ by patient deaths BBC News 15 May 2025

‘The NHS at its worst’, ex-ombudsman tells inquiry BBC 6 May 2025

Mental health inquiry chair vows to ‘seek out’ truth BBC 28 April 2025

Mum says son died in ‘hell on Earth’ facility BBC 17 September 2024

Bereaved family ‘devastated’ after being snubbed by landmark mental health inquiry into thousands of deaths Rebecca Thomas – Independent 9 September 2024

‘Our sons died – we want mental health inquiry to bring change’ BBC 8 September 2024
Lampard Inquiry: Deaths of thousands of mental health patients in Essex to be investigated as families hope for answers Sky News 8 September 2024

Matthew Leahy death: Mother calls for public inquiry BBC 10 January 2020

Former patients ready to give evidence at Lampard Inquiry into 2,000 Essex mental health deaths ITV News 26 August 2025