For more than a decade, families across the North East and North Yorkshire have lived with unanswered questions, unresolved grief, and a deep sense that the mental health system entrusted with their loved ones’ care had failed them.
Last week, a major turning point was finally reached. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has ordered a statutory public inquiry into Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys (TEWV) NHS Foundation Trust, following years of mounting concern over patient safety, governance failures and preventable deaths.
The announcement marks a watershed moment for more than 40 families who have campaigned tirelessly for meaningful accountability after tragic losses under the trust’s care. TEWV, one of the country’s largest mental health trusts, has faced sustained criticism over a series of serious incidents, including the deaths of vulnerable patients and long-standing concerns about unsafe practices, staffing levels and leadership culture. While multiple investigations and reviews have taken place over the years, families consistently argued that these fell short; lacking transparency, independence and, crucially, the power to compel evidence.
That is why the decision to launch a statutory public inquiry is so significant. Unlike previous reviews, this inquiry will have the legal authority to require witnesses to give evidence under oath and to demand full disclosure of documents. For families who have spent years fighting to be heard, this represents not just a procedural change, but a genuine opportunity for the truth to emerge.
Throughout this long and emotionally draining campaign, the majority of affected families have been represented by our personal and injury and inquest specialists Sarah Magson, Alistair Smith and Dawn Makepeace, experts who have supported more than 40 families through inquests, investigations and sustained advocacy. Their work has extended far beyond legal representation, helping families navigate complex processes, challenge inadequate responses, and maintain pressure for a process capable of delivering real accountability after years of institutional failings at the region’s scandal-hit mental health trust.
The announcement has been met with a mixture of relief, validation and cautious hope.
As Alistair Smith explained:
“This is what families have campaigned so tirelessly for over many years. The announcement of a statutory public inquiry represents a vital step towards truth, justice and accountability. Crucially, it will have the power to compel witnesses to give evidence, which is essential to establishing the root causes of what went wrong, ensuring meaningful change, and rebuilding public trust. What these families want above all else is that no other families endure the same experiences. We at Ison Harrison Solicitors are immensely proud to stand alongside them and to be part of driving that change.”
At the heart of this campaign has always been a clear and powerful aim: to prevent future harm. Families have repeatedly stated that their pursuit of a public inquiry is not driven by blame, but by a determination to ensure that lessons are properly learned and embedded. They want assurance that the devastating experiences they endured will not be repeated, and that mental health services are made safer for patients, staff and communities alike.
As the inquiry begins to take shape, attention will turn to its scope, leadership and timescale, and to ensuring that families remain central to the process. For many, the road ahead will still be difficult, reopening painful memories and confronting uncomfortable truths. But after years of delay, denial and fragmented scrutiny, the inquiry offers something families have long been denied: the chance for a full, transparent examination of what went wrong, and the possibility of meaningful, lasting reform. The inquiry will look at both inpatient and community services.
For those who have campaigned relentlessly in the face of loss, this moment stands as a testament to their resilience and a reminder that sustained voices, when supported and amplified, can drive change even in the most entrenched systems.
We will post further updates in due course.
