Lampard Inquiry Day 8: Families discuss mood disorders, ECT, and ADHD

The Lampard Inquiry, which began in Chelmsford on September 9, is investigating the deaths of 2,000 people who were receiving mental health inpatient care in Essex between 2000 and 2023.

The Inquiry began on September 9 with the first week being opening statements from the Inquiry itself, the charity Inquest which focuses on state-related deaths, as well as the main NHS trust the Essex Partnership University Trust (EPUT) and the North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT).

Day eight of the Inquiry, Tuesday September 24, began with Margot Binns speaking on behalf of her father Roland Guy.

Roland signed up with the RAF in the Second World War – despite being 15 and lying about his age – and then on his 17th birthday joined the Royal Marines, becoming a Commando in the then new force. 

Roland trained as a sniper and was recruited into a sub-unit 30AU of the X Troop, which was "so secret it did not exist" with the 30th Assault Unit being commanded by Ian Fleming.

At 19, in June 1944 Roland made his way through northern France where he met Margot’s mother who was in the French assistance – a London Eastender and a French bourgeoisie meeting in the opposite of normal circumstances.

Witness - Margot Binns (Left) with her sister Kathleen Hodgeson (Centre) and Nicholas Griffin KC (Right) who read her statement about her father Roland or Ron Guy (Image: Lampard Inquiry) Margot said her Dad became particularly close to the inmates of Japanese prisoners of war while in Hong Kong for two years after the war, believing it was an injustice that the lower ranking soldiers would be punished or executed instead of higher-ranking people.

Margot revealed her dad was eager for her to know that his initial stay in a mental health hospital had “no bearings on his problems in later life” as he found “mental illness as a shameful weakness, especially in himself” further telling them he “feigned a mental breakdown” to be sent home.

Margot added both her mother and father spent “their lives as the walking wounded” after the war and the family were proud of them.

Margot said her dad was a “very kind and generous person” giving time and labour for free to neighbours in his new post-war career as a heating engineer.

Margot said: “He was social and friendly, but would have bouts when he would get down in the dumps and sometimes go to bed for a week or two, lose his appetite and not want to involve himself in much at all.

“The rest of the family would carry on as normal, knowing dad would eventually pick himself up and carry on. This was dad's pattern for decade after decade until he went to see a GP, subsequently being placed under the care of Essex Mental Health.”#

The GP in 1994 – who was not a “specialist in mental health” – gave Roland anti-depressants, meaning Roland’s mood changes, which would take years to complete normally, became “very rapid in succession”.

Margot said: “Appropriate, effective help was not given.”

Protest - Family members say their loved ones were failed by the state which includes multiple agencies (Image: Newsquest) Margot said her dad. who was brought up in a “prudish, Victorian household”, had become a different person, making “lewd and suggestive jokes”, and becoming loud and dominating in public.

He also spent more, talked, and laughed more with his whole “demeanour becoming “manic, loud and exaggerated” with Roland’s behaviour worsening from sending letters to the Prime Minister to inventing new language.

Roland then alternated between mania and bed-bound depression for 12 years until he was taken to Essex Hospital to be given consensual electro-convulsive therapy which Margot said the family were "pressurised" to do.

She added: “If someone had asked dad if he would like to end his life at this time, he would have agreed to it, so it was a ridiculous proposition, and inappropriate to be pressurised in this way.

“We knew in his logical state dad would not want it. We had to fight his corner. He was incapable.”

Margot said that Runwell Hospital deserved “credit” for being in beautiful grounds and for taking Roland out sometimes, for example to a pub lunch.

However, in the days before his death in 2006, Roland was transferred to Southend General Hospital where he became “badly dehydrated and in a poor physical state”.

Margot concluded: “He was taken long before his time, but his suffering was, after 12 long and tortuous years, finally over.”

Speaker - Lisa Morris speaking on behalf of her son Ben (Image: Lampard Inquiry) The Inquiry also heard from a statement from Lisa Morris - a lead campaigner alongside Melanie Leahy - about her son Ben who was just 20-years old when he died as a voluntary inpatient at the Linden Centre.

Lisa said that only a few months before being admitted Ben was “finally diagnosed” with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.

Lisa defined ADHD as a “neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by executive dysfunction occasioning symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity and emotional dysregulation that are excessive and pervasive”.

She added that despite having all the symptoms Ben was seen by “so many doctors and specialists” who turned him away as either having a “diagnosis of bad behaviour” with Lisa being told he needed “bit of anger management”.

Lisa added: “He was told that if he was looking for a diagnosis just so he could claim benefits, then that wasn't going to happen.

“I saw how crushed Ben was by this response. He was trying to get help with his condition, not with benefits.”

Ben was admitted into the Linden Centre in December 2008, with the family at first being “relieved” that he would be getting a proper diagnosis and treatment they had been waiting for.

However, Ben lost a lot of weight and seemed to be “very heavily medicated” dying twenty days into being in the care of what is now known as EPUT.

“Cold and quite hostile” police officers arrived on December 29 to Lisa’s house, asking to come in, before telling Lisa her son had died in the night in a “very cold and pragmatic manner” -  not offering any condolences.

Lisa said she was physically sick every day for almost four years after his death, and said she wonders every day what Ben’s life would be if received treatment.

Ben also left behind a daughter and wanted to become a personal trainer.

Lisa concluded her statement by reading out a poem about ADHD which ended with the lines: “I may have a brain that can never rest, but please understand I'm doing my best.

“I want you to know, I need you to see, I'm more than the label, I am still me."

The Inquiry also heard about an anonymous man referred to with the cipher “PD2” who was said to be happy while working with his uncle in a construction company “enjoying the freedom” of working outside in the summer months.

Lawyer Rachel Troup, speaking on behalf of the family said: “To release him without an appropriate plan in place for follow-up was arrogant, with no duty of care applied, unprofessional - resulting in a devastating end.”

Adjourned - The Lampard Inquiry is now adjourned until November (Image: Newsquest) Baroness Lampard concluded the September hearing by thanking the family members "for the courage and effort it will have taken to gather up precious memories" adding:

"All accounts were provided with grace and candour, and they have certainly made a lasting impression on me and on the whole of the Inquiry team.

"It's important, I think, that we at all times keep in our minds the real people and their families who experienced the mental health inpatient services that we're concerned with.

"The commemorative accounts will certainly help us to do that, and I thank you all for them."

Bipolar UK's free support line for people affected by bipolar disorder - or other mood disorders - is available by calling 0333 323 3880 from 9am to 5pm daily. 

For support with ADHD or other mental conditions call Mind at 0300 102 1234 which is open 9am to 6pm from Monday to Friday.

The Samaritans helpline is also free to call 24 hours a day on 116 123 for urgent support or you can chat on webchat at https://chat.samaritans.org/.