Mental health inquiry's forum 'a national first'

Baroness Lampard previously said the inquiry would be "fair, objective, rigorous and balanced"

A mental health public inquiry is believed to be the first of its kind to establish a forum to try to ensure its recommendations are enforced.

The Lampard Inquiry, which is examining more than 2,000 deaths at NHS-run inpatient units in Essex between 2000 and 2023, has established a recommendations and implementation that which will sit after its conclusion.

The forum will "seek the views of others as to how [Baroness Lampard's] recommendations… may be implemented to ensure meaningful change", the inquiry said.

"As far as we are aware, the Lampard Inquiry is the first public inquiry ever to have taken such an important innovative and collaborative step," said Nicholas Griffin KC, chief counsel to the inquiry.

The Lampard Inquiry is being held at Arundel House in London

The inquiry, which started in September 2024, is now in its fifth set of hearings.

This latest session has heard concerns over the use of sensors and cameras to monitor mental health patients in their bedrooms.

Mr Griffin said in his opening statement on Monday that Baroness Lampard was committed to ensuring "real and lasting change" in how mental health was handled across the country.

"As with any inquiry, a recommendation is only as effective as the extent to which it is later implemented," he told the inquiry.

The fifth set of evidence sessions at the Lampard Inquiry will run until Tuesday 28 October.

There will then be further hearings throughout 2026 before Baroness Lampard makes her recommendations, which are not expected until 2027.

The Department of Health and Social Care declined to comment on Mr Griffin's remarks.