Update from Essex Mental Health Independent Inquiry for staff
Thank you so much to those who have made contact with the Inquiry recently; we know this is not always an easy decision to make and we really do appreciate the time and effort it takes.
We have written to a number of you requesting that you attend an evidence session. These letters are sent out on our behalf by EPUT to your work or personal emails, please do make sure you check your email accounts to see if you have one of these letters.
If you do find you have received one it will include a date by which you need to reply to the Inquiry. These dates have now passed.
However if you are yet to respond to us, please do still be in touch to let the Inquiry know whether you will are accepting or declining to attend an evidence session by 5pm on Thursday 9 March.
Hearing from staff remains crucial to the work of the Inquiry. You know what it is like to work in the Trust, what issues staff - and patients - face on a daily basis and you will have insights on how care can be improved for those patients that you dedicate your working lives to look after.
Your insights are invaluable, whether you are working on an inpatient ward or whether you are less directly involved with patients.
The Inquiry is examining the following areas:
- Care and treatment of mental health inpatients: including things that work well and things that need improvement, as well as serious incidents, and safety concerns, and your views on what it's like to do your job
- Involvement of family and carers in patient care
- Deaths of mental health inpatients and those who died up to 3 month after being discharged
- Any investigations that took place after a patient's death
- Culture, leadership and governance at the Trust and its predecessors: including your views on training and support
- Recommendations for the wider mental health system
If you haven't already made contact with us, it's not too late to do so.
We know engaging with an Inquiry can be stressful. We therefore wanted to reiterate our offer of independent emotional support via the British Red Cross.
This is in place to support witnesses through the process and is completely independent of the Inquiry.
Should you wish to access this offer, please email contact@emhii.org.uk and a member of the team can set this up.
Please do also review our website where you can find there information on anonymity and confidentiality, what to expect at an evidence session, how your evidence will be used and ways you can contact us.
If you have any questions at all, please do contact us at contact@emhii.org.uk or 0207 972 3500. Thank you again.
Kate Ward, Secretary to the Inquiry