Baroness Kate Lampard, chair of a public inquiry examining mental health deaths in Essex, has announced she may issue interim recommendations if she spots anything that "might pose an urgent risk to patient safety" - a phrase that, in the context of 2,000 deaths, feels less like a contingency plan and more like basic housekeeping.

The Lampard Inquiry is looking into the deaths of more than 2,000 people who died while under the care of Essex mental health services between 2000 and the end of 2023. That's 23 years, 2,000-plus deaths, and a final report not expected until 2028 - a timeline that suggests the wheels of justice are not so much grinding slowly as taking a leisurely spa weekend.

Further evidence hearings begin on 5 October, after which Baroness Lampard will decide whether recommendations are needed before the final report. Any interim recommendations are expected to focus on inpatient safety, including resuscitation procedures and monitoring technology used to detect patients in distress.

"Those two matters are not specific to Essex and therefore the evidence the inquiry hears will be of relevance to service providers across the entire country," Baroness Lampard said. "It may carry implications for the care and treatment provided on all mental health units." So, potentially nationwide implications - no pressure.

One system under examination is Oxevision, which can take footage and record breathing and pulse rates, and is used by a number of NHS mental health trusts in England. Concerns have been raised about privacy, dignity, and whether the technology could be used as a substitute for face-to-face care.

Tammy Smith, whose daughter Sophie Alderman died in 2022, previously told the inquiry: "It actually takes away human interaction. They are at their most vulnerable. They need those conversations. They need someone to ask, 'Are you OK? Do you need anything?' We all need that." A radical proposition: asking patients if they're okay.

LIO Health, the company behind Oxevision, said the technology helped prevent serious incidents, supports staff in providing care, and reduces time spent on paperwork. NHS England said any vision-based monitoring technology must support a human rights-based approach to care and be used in line with legal requirements and appropriate patient consent.

The inquiry is due to hear evidence from NHS England, the Care Quality Commission, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency during hearings between 5 and 15 October. The latest sessions will take place at Chelmsford Civic Centre rather than in London, where previous hearings have been held.

Families will then be invited to give their views on possible recommendations during a virtual hearing on 20 October, before Baroness Lampard decides whether interim recommendations should be issued. The inquiry's final report, which could have national implications for mental health services across England, is not expected until 2028. Until then, presumably, everyone will just hold their breath.