Speaking on the second day of the Lampard Inquiry, Lily Lewis, from Garden Court North Chambers, said there had been an ‘abject failure in candour, data collection and governance on the part of the relevant 14 trusts'.

Lewis, who represents a charity for bereaved families, said it was ‘staggering' that public bodies providing mental health services in Essex had not been able to provide an accurate figure for the total number of deaths.

She voiced ‘horror and concern' that despite ‘countless investigations, inspection reports and inquests' highlighting failures, preventable deaths had continued.

Lewis said the current system for learning and implementing changes from inquests was ‘not fit for purpose' and called for an oversight mechanism to ensure that recommendations identified by investigations into deaths were acted upon.

Representing Mid and South Essex, Hertfordshire and West Essex, and Suffolk and North East Essex ICBs, Zeenat Islam, of Temple Garden Chambers, said: ‘The ICBs would like to, at the outset of this opening statement, express their deepest sympathy to all of those who have lost loved ones and who have been and remain affected by the matters that this inquiry is examining.

‘It is hoped that the Inquiry's robust investigation will provide the answers that many have been waiting for a long time. The ICBs would like to recognise the courage of those engaging with this process, despite their loss and suffering.'

The inquiry continues.