The Department of Health and Social Care is facing being taken to court over an inquiry it launched into the deaths and failings in care to dozens of our loved ones in Essex.
Last year, the government said it would commission an independent inquiry into at least 36 inpatient deaths in Essex, which had taken place over the last two decades.
However, more than 70 families are calling for a full statutory public inquiry, which can compel witnesses to give evidence. We have lodged judicial review proceedings at the High Court against the government.

Our solicitors at HJA said:-

“It is within the gift of the minister, Nadine Dorries, to convert the already announced Non-Statutory Inquiry into Essex Mental Health Care into a Full Statutory Public Inquiry. Doing so would compel witnesses to attend and give evidence under oath, and ensure the appointment of an independent chair – a Non-Statutory Inquiry lacks the legal powers to do this and therefore cannot be relied upon to deliver a comprehensive and meaningful account of events. A Full Statutory Inquiry may take slightly longer, but given the campaigns of some families have been underway for the best part of a decade, they are prepared to wait a little longer for the truth. It is only this Full Statutory Inquiry that can get to the root of the failings in care – and only then can mental healthcare provision be improved.

“The launch of Judicial Review proceedings will only serve to put the families through more pain, extending their suffering through yet another set of legal proceedings, and in the process rack up legal bills for the Government. This expense and anguish can be avoided, today, by a simple ministerial decision. We call on Nadine Dorries to do the right thing, call a Full Statutory Public Inquiry – the families will never give up on their search for answers.”

Melanie Leahy, mum to Matthew Leahy aged just 20 when he died in 2012 said:-

My son Matthew Leahy was dead within 7 days of entering a so called, “place of safety.” Since that day I have been fighting – fighting for the truth. Fighting to find out whathappened to cost my son his life. Answers which will ultimately lead to accountability, justice and importantly real change. 

The only way for this to happen is by having a comprehensive investigation with the legal power to compel witnesses to attend and to give evidence on oath. The only investigation that carries that legal power is a statutory public inquiry – I will not accept anything less.

I am not alone now…72 other failed families now join me on this crusade. With more joining every week. Our most vulnerable are being failed, they are being neglected, abused and sadly in many cases ( like my son), dying whilst in hospitals/units which are meant to be caring for them and keeping them safe.

We have made it clear from the outset that we want a statutory public inquiry and we have set out why.  Our solicitors have written to Government setting out in detail why it has to be a statutory inquiry, and we are ignored… if Government (Ms Dorries) ignores us, the families who have lost our loved ones because of the failures of the people meant to be looking them, then who exactly is  the Minister serving?, Who is the toothless investigation she seems hell bent on having, for exactly ? The minister  is making it very clear that all she is interested in is carrying out a tick box exercise. 

Ms Dorries says she wants the Inquiry to be non statutory so that it is quicker… again she is ignoring us. We have fought for years, yes we want it as soon as possible but we are not in a rush, if it means we can have proper and comprehensive investigation  - that is a statutory inquiry, then we will wait for that.

The choice of chair – feels like a mockery. Dr Strathdee may well be a person of integrity but her background and extensive involvement in the NHS/Mental Health Services make it impossible for her to be considered independent/without bias.

Changing the type of inquiry to a full statutory inquiry is simple. Ms Dorries could choose to do so easily. If she doesn’t change the JR will proceed. This will cost the taxpayer money in legal bills, and will cause myself the families already failed by services yet more pain and upset. The campaign will not stop until we have answers and we can’t be silenced. 

We will not stop until we get a full statutory public inquiry.