Mother calls for ‘proper inquiry’ into NHS trust after son died waiting for assessment

Relatives angry that investigation of Essex Partnership trust over mental health patients' deaths can't make witnesses give evidence

A recently bereaved mother has added her voice to calls for a proper inquiry" into the Essex Partnership university NHS trust after her son died, having been told he had to wait up to 28 days for an in-person assessment by its mental health team.

The trust (EPUT) is currently the subject of an independent inquiry into the deaths of almost 2,000 mental health patients under its - or its predecessors' care - but bereaved relatives are angry that the inquiry has not been granted legal powers to compel witnesses to give evidence.