‘We begged for years but the help wasn’t there’

The sister of a man who took his own life after years of battling mental health problems has said there was a “total lack of care and compassion” towards him.

Terry White, a father of two from Basildon, was 36 when he died in 2019. His death is one of more than 2,000 deaths occurring in mental health services in Essex. which are the subject of Lampard's public inquiry.

Mr White's sister Emma Harley said the family had “been asking for help for many years…[but] he wasn't there; We were met by a brick wall at every step.”

The trust, which runs mental health services in Essex, apologized to the families of the victims and said improvements had been made.

“He was full of energy, bouncing off the walls – he was so much fun to be around,” Emma said of her little brother.

“He used to eat a lot of pickles… but everyone loved him, everyone wanted to spend time with him.”

Ms Harley said Terry has neurodivergence and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. [ADHD] remained undiagnosed until he was a teenager, due to the general lack of understanding of mental health at the time.

Speaking to the BBC before giving evidence to the Lampard inquiry, she said her brother, unable to get the help he needed, turned to illegal drugs as a way to self-medicate.

Mr. White attempted suicide several times. During his penultimate attempt, his sister said his request not to be discharged from Basildon Hospital was met with little sympathy.

“I heard [the receptionist] say: “As I told you before, sir, there's nothing more we can do – if you don't leave, we'll call security,” Ms Harley said.

“That kind of sums up the level of compassion that he showed throughout his life.”

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Basildon Hospital, expressed its “sincere sympathies” to Terry's family and said it had “changed the way people with mental health problems are supported”.

Ms Harley described the phone call telling her of Terry's death as the man she had been waiting for “ever since he was a teenager – I knew it would happen one day”.

“I still feel guilty that I couldn't save him,” she told the BBC, adding that she was angry and disappointed that her brother was not offered therapy, a mentor or a key worker as a single point of contact, and she said he may still be alive with that help.

Emma said many opportunities had been missed but her brother had received little help or sympathy from the police and medical services.

“He ticked everything off that he was at greatest risk of suicide, but no one ever saw it – he was completely disappointed,” she said.

“He was simply dismissed as a drug addict and his mental health was never taken seriously.”

Ms Harley's evidence in Lampard's case was heard over the final two days of the fifth series of hearings.

The inquiry is examining the deaths of more than 2,000 people in mental health services in Essex between 2000 and 2023.

“There needs to be real, radical, long-term change… we all know it has to happen after this.” [inquiry]” Ms Harley said.

“The focus may be on Essex, but it needs to drive change across the country.”

Baroness Lampard has repeatedly stated her intention that her recommendations from the inquiry be implemented and has set up a forum to try to ensure that – believed to be the first public inquiry to take such a measure.

Priya Singh, partner at Hodge Jones & Allen, which is representing Ms Harley and more than 120 victims and families in the investigation, told the BBC that Terry White and his family were “terribly disappointed… [and] repeatedly ignored with tragic consequences.”

Paul Scott, chief executive of Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, which runs mental health services in Essex, said his thoughts were with Mr White's family.

“As the investigation progresses, there will be many stories of people who have been much loved and missed over the last 24 years, and I want to say how sorry I am for their loss,” he said.

“All of us in the health system have a responsibility to work together to improve care and treatment for everyone, and to build on the improvements that have already been made over the past 24 years.”

The Department of Health and Social Care said it was “committed” to assisting Lampard's investigation, which “will play an important role in identifying wider implications for the health system”.

A government spokesman said it was transforming mental health services across the UK with £688 million in funding this year, including a £26 million investment in new mental health crisis centers and the hiring of more staff.

Essex Police said it was assisting with Lampard's investigation “and we are committed to reviewing any information brought to light by the investigation once it has concluded.”

Lampard's next hearing will take place in February 2026.

If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, you can get help and support at: BBC Action Line.