Colin Flatt’s death came within three months of discharge from a mental health unit.

A former professional footballer who was admitted to a mental health facility was treated “like an out-of-control animal that could only be managed by pumping him full of drugs”, an inquiry into the deaths of more than 2,000 people was told.

Melanie Leahy told the Lampard Inquiry that her partner Colin Flatt, 81, was “subjected to the most appalling neglect and abuse imaginable” before his death in 2021.

His death came within three months of discharge from a mental health unit.

Ms Leahy, whose 20-year-old son Matthew died in 2012 while a patient at a mental health facility, had long campaigned for the inquiry.

Posters placed outside Arundel House in London, where the Lampard Inquiry is taking place
The Lampard Inquiry is examining deaths at NHS-run inpatient mental health units in Essex between 2000 and 2023 (Ben Bauer/PA)

She said Mr Flatt had “helped raise Matthew and later stood beside me in the long fight for truth after Matthew’s death”.

“Neither of us could imagine that years later Colin himself would become part of the very story this inquiry is now examining,” she said.

The Lampard Inquiry, chaired by Baroness Kate Lampard, is examining deaths at NHS-run inpatient mental health units in Essex between 2000 and 2023.

It will include those who died within three months of discharge, and those who died as inpatients receiving NHS-funded care in the independent sector.

Ms Leahy is due to give evidence about her son’s case next year, but on Wednesday gave evidence about what happened to her partner of 19 years Mr Flatt.

She said Mr Flatt had been a “professional footballer in his early years and subsequently a very successful businessman”.

“Together we were leading a full and happy life,” she said.

“We had both worked very hard all our lives and were looking forward to what would have been for him his golden years.

“We had many plans including travelling the world together and all this came to an abrupt and brutal end courtesy of the so-called professionals who are meant to provide care and treatment.”

Ms Leahy said Mr Flatt sought treatment for physical health issues at Broomfield Hospital near Chelmsford in May 2021.

But he was then admitted to a mental health facility, Goodmayes Hospital, run by North East London NHS Foundation Trust.

She said Mr Flatt had “very minor and easily treatable health issues, earache and fatigue against a background of occasional and mild confusion” when he presented at Broomfield Hospital.

“Instead of providing Colin with the care and treatment he needed, the chosen response of those looking after him was to chemically sedate him,” she said.

“Once they had embarked on that trajectory, although I didn’t know it at the time, there was only one direction in which things would go.”

Ms Leahy said in a section of her witness statement read to the inquiry: “The drugs they were giving Colin were turning a mild and gentle man into a monster but nothing I said made any difference.

“The staff were determined to treat Colin like an out-of-control animal that could only be managed by pumping him full of drugs.”

Rachel Troup, counsel to the inquiry, said after Mr Flatt’s transfer to Goodmayes Hospital “I think I can summarise it in this way, the levels of sedation that you have described continued”.

Ms Leahy said: “I think you need to understand this is a man, he wants to come home, he’s fighting to get out of the ward, they’ve got doors locked, they’re restricting his access, he wants to come home.

“You’re fighting for your life, you want to come home.

“It’s like inject him, pin him down, restrain him.”

Ms Troup said that Mr Flatt later went to Basildon Hospital and Ms Leahy “repeatedly raised safeguarding concerns with social services, police, various staff at the trust including the CEO”.

Baroness Kate Lampard
Baroness Kate Lampard, chairwoman of the Lampard Inquiry, at Arundel House in central London (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Asked what action was taken as a result of this, Ms Leahy said: “Nothing, everyone ignored me.”

He died in September 2021 after he was discharged from services.

Mr Flatt’s inquest is due to be heard in August 2026, Ms Leahy said.

“Their cases (Matthew Leahy and Colin Flatt) are deeply connected,” said Ms Leahy.

“Both reveal systemic failings across physical health, mental health, safeguarding and accountability.

“Only when both processes have concluded will I be in a position to present considered recommendations that honour them properly.”

Ms Troup said Ms Leahy considered that her campaign around her son’s death “affected the way staff in the various trusts and in fact in the care homes, treated you (Ms Leahy)”.

“You tell us that in fact by association with you, in other words by his association with you, you consider that your campaigning and the wide knowledge of it and the recognition of you as Melanie Leahy in fact negatively affected the care that was taken of Colin,” said Ms Troup.

The inquiry continues.

More from Perspective

Get a free copy of our print edition

News

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Fill out this field
Fill out this field
Please enter a valid email address.
You need to agree with the terms to proceed

Your email address will not be published. The views expressed in the comments below are not those of Perspective. We encourage healthy debate, but racist, misogynistic, homophobic and other types of hateful comments will not be published.