In issue 4 of Newsletter, we featured Melanie Leahy’s campaign for justice for her 20-year-old son Matthew, who was found dead in 2012 whilst an inpatient at the Linden Centre in Essex. There was strong evidence of a cover up around the circumstances of his death.

Melanie raised a petition of 105,000 plus signatures, on behalf of nearly 70 families/individuals, whose lives had been devastated by many and varied alleged failings in treatment and care provided by Essex Mental Health Services.

She called for a full Statutory Inquiry. The Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care) has steadfastly refused to convert the current Independent Inquiry into a full Statutory Inquiry, stating in parliament on 30 November 2020, that the difference between a statutory and a non-statutory inquiry was just a matter of “semantics”.

It is not.

A full Statutory Inquiry will compel witnesses to attend and give evidence under oath. The aggrieved families are calling for the scope of the Inquiry to include all deaths in the community and those individuals who have suffered neglect and/or abuse whilst under the care of Essex mental health services. Many have died and many others have managed to survive their experience.

Deborah Coles, Chief Executive of INQUEST said:

“We remain deeply concerned about the failing systems of treatment and care for people with mental ill-health and inadequate scrutiny, oversight and accountability of mental health services. An Inquiry that does not have the trust and confidence of all those whose lives have been forever impacted by the devastating catalogue of failure, harm and death, cannot properly address deep rooted, systemic issues. Only a Statutory Inquiry with the necessary powers to compel witnesses and seize evidence that is held in public, can ensure family engagement and the broad ranging scrutiny to ensure evidence-based conclusions for meaningful change”.

What seems to be going on in Essex is yet another good example of a so-called “mental health service” protecting and condoning outmoded psychiatric practice, which has a long track record of causing serious harm to people experiencing emotional distress.

CAPDA supports Melanie Leahy in her campaign on behalf of the 68 families/individuals who have been so badly affected by Essex mental health services