Overview

• Inquiry into Essex mental health services reveals potentially thousands more deaths than previously estimated.
• Families of deceased patients express grief and frustration over alleged negligence and exclusion from the inquiry.
• Inquiry chair Lady Kate Lampard highlights severe issues including inadequate data collection and continued patient harm.
• Legal representatives criticize Essex trusts for a lack of accountability and failure to address repeated issues.
• Public testimonies and evidence sessions are scheduled to continue through 2026, with significant implications for national mental health care.