Nikki Fox

Experts from the University of Oxford told the Lampard Inquiry that 45 studies used to justify the NHS-wide rollout of Oxevision did not provide strong independent evidence that the infrared monitoring system improves patient safety, acceptability or cost-effectiveness. The technology’s operator, LIO Health, defended its impact, while bereaved families’ lawyers and the Stop Oxevision campaign questioned its safety and regulation. Researchers said further independent randomised studies are needed. The inquiry into more than 2,000 mental health patient deaths in Essex will resume in October, with hearings continuing until late 2027 and a final report expected in 2028.

Cambridge University and the University of East Anglia have suspended undergraduate medical placements at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn due to concerns over educational standards, governance and the learning environment. The hospital, already rated as requiring improvement by the Care Quality Commission, has faced warnings over safety, governance and patient dignity. Hospital leaders acknowledge shortcomings and are working with NHS England, educational bodies and the universities to address issues and restore confidence so students can return once improvements are made.

A mother told the Lampard Inquiry that her autistic daughter, Elise Sebastian, experienced neglect, bullying and inadequate care at the St Aubyn Centre in Essex before dying in 2021. She criticised failures to understand Elise’s physical and mental health needs, low staffing levels, reliance on faulty monitoring technology and poor emergency responses. The inquiry heard Elise was left alone for 28 minutes despite requiring one‑to‑one observations. The mother called for improved training and the removal of infrared monitoring systems. Essex’s mental health trust apologised and acknowledged shortcomings while the inquiry seeks to identify systemic failures.

A former mental health nurse told the Lampard Inquiry that staff apathy and lack of engagement in Essex inpatient units contributed to poor care and safety risks over many years. He described a focus on paperwork, overmedication, inadequate patient interaction, poor management culture and delayed responses to serious incidents. The Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust apologised and said staffing and care had since been transformed, with hundreds of new clinical roles added.

The Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust expects to spend £30m on the Lampard Inquiry into more than 2,000 deaths in Essex mental health services. Former CEO Paul Scott acknowledged missed deadlines and underestimated workloads while apologising to families concerned about his recent departure. Inquiry leaders warned systemic failures in mental health care extend beyond Essex and noted ongoing difficulties determining the true number of deaths under review. The inquiry has issued hundreds of evidence requests, including compelled notices, and will examine staff testimony and clinical issues such as technology use and patient resuscitation. Interim recommendations may come later in the year, with final conclusions expected in 2028.

A campaign led by Melanie Leahy urges the creation of an independent watchdog to ensure recommendations from public inquiries, including the Lampard Inquiry into Essex mental health deaths, are implemented. Concerns highlighted by legal experts, Parliament, and bereaved families point to a lack of mechanisms to monitor follow-through on accepted recommendations. The government acknowledges shortcomings and has introduced an online tracker, but campaigners argue independent oversight is needed to ensure meaningful change and accountability.

An extraordinary review has been launched by the Nursing and Midwifery Council into Anglia Ruskin University’s mental health nursing course following concerns raised by a student and a lecturer about teaching quality, class sizes and preparedness for professional practice. The university acknowledges a potential issue, which it self‑reported, but says it continues to produce high‑quality nurses and is working with the regulator to address recommendations. The NMC will publish its findings once the review is complete.