Bereaved mothers have urged Health Secretary Wes Streeting to ensure that an inquiry into the deaths of mental health patients in Essex delivers justice.

The Lampard Inquiry will investigate the deaths of people who were receiving mental health inpatient care in Essex between 2000 and 2023.

Chairwoman Baroness Kate Lampard said the number of deaths within the scope of the inquiry will be “significantly in excess of the 2,000” previously thought.

This will include people who died within three months of discharge, and those who died as inpatients receiving NHS-funded care in the independent sector.

Initial hearings took place last month in Chelmsford, and the first evidential hearings will be held next year in London.

But some bereaved relatives are disillusioned with progress so far, raising concerns about some people not being granted core participant status, and other matters.

On Thursday a meeting was held with Mr Streeting, and he said afterwards that he remained “committed to assisting” the inquiry and “working to transform NHS mental health care”.

Melanie Leahy, whose 20-year-old son, Matthew, died in November 2012 while a patient at a mental health facility, was at the meeting.

She said: “Having fought so hard to get this inquiry with the hope of establishing the truth of how my son died whilst meant to be safe, I’m praying that the inquiry serves its purpose and leads to the truth, justice and accountability that we all crave.

“We are calling on the Secretary of State Wes Streeting and the health minister Gillian Merron to ensure that happens.”

She said that the inquiry “feels very muted and small”.

Julia Hopper, whose 19-year-old son Christopher Nota died in 2020 while under the care of mental health services, also attended the meeting.

She said: “Inquiries in the past haven’t delivered meaningful change but it is crucial that this one does.

“Deaths are ongoing, we are tripping over dead bodies, and it has to stop.

“This is our younger generation.

“It is essential Mr Streeting steps in to ensure the inquiry delivers what we need, which is the prevention of more needless loss of life and get some semblance of justice for our loved ones.”

Priya Singh, partner at law firm Hodge Jones & Allen, who represents more than 150 victims and families, said: “It is representative of how desperately the families feel that they needed to go to the very top to express their concerns about what has happened so far at the inquiry.

“We were promised that the families would be at the heart of the inquiry but they feel like they are being ignored while others are being excluded altogether.

“All we and the families have ever wanted is to work together with the inquiry to get the truth and justice for the families and to help ensure the terrible mistakes of the past are not repeated.

“We are grateful to the Secretary of State for meeting us in what was a productive meeting and look forward to meeting him again to discuss progress.”

Mr Streeting said: “My deepest sympathies are with Mrs Leahy, Mrs Hopper and every family who has lost a loved one in these tragic circumstances.

“Every person affected by this ordeal has a right to tell their story.

“Throughout the public hearings so far, the inquiry has heard testimonies from many families and we are confident that the inquiry will provide a valuable channel for them to have their voices heard.

“This inquiry will play an important role in identifying wider learnings for the health system, which is why we remain committed to assisting it and are working to transform NHS mental health care.”