Ten mental health trusts in England have been passed to the Care Quality Commission after an internal review found their consent procedures for using infrared camera monitoring fell short of required standards. The disclosure came during the ongoing Lampard Inquiry, which is scrutinising the deaths of more than two thousand people who stayed in Essex mental health units between 2000 and the end of 2023.
Concerns Raised During Lampard Inquiry
The inquiry heard that NHS England first became aware of safety worries linked to the Oxevision system in 2021. Gareth Harry, the National Delivery Director for Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism, told the panel that worries had been raised about consent, patient observation and human rights. An internal email from 2022, shown to the inquiry, contained a staff member’s remark that some trusts were not giving patients “the choice to refuse being filmed”.
Baroness Lampard indicated she would consider interim recommendations on any new technology if she believed there was a “risk to patient safety”. She also noted that the inquiry could issue such advice before its final report, which is not expected until 2028.
NHS England’s Response and Referral
In 2023 NHS England wrote to mental health trusts advising that monitoring technology should not be rolled out as a blanket measure and that decisions ought to be made on an individual patient basis, involving the person wherever possible. After further concerns were highlighted by the campaign group Stop Oxevision, the organisation reviewed practice across the sector.
That review concluded that ten trusts were “not operating their consent mechanisms in line with the digital principles”. Harry confirmed that NHS England had written to the CQC on 2 October, sharing the findings with inspection teams. The trusts concerned have not been named.
Harry also stressed that day‑to‑day responsibility for following the guidance lies with individual providers, not with NHS England centrally. When counsel Teniola Onabanjo asked whether the enthusiasm for innovation might “outpace” the scrutiny of consent and ethics, Harry replied: “I would expect every provider of mental health services to have their values and behaviours driven by a human rights approach to mental healthcare.”
Industry and Regulator Perspectives
Laura Cozens of LIO Health, the firm behind Oxevision, gave evidence in July. She said it was vital that the technology be properly explained to patients and added that it had helped prevent serious incidents, including falls on a dementia ward.
A spokesperson for the Care Quality Commission told the BBC: “Providers have a responsibility to offer safe, high-quality care in line with relevant guidelines.” They added: “CQC considers all information of concern that is shared with us, and should a provider fall short we can and do take action.” The regulator is scheduled to give evidence to the Lampard Inquiry on 7 October.
What Happens Next
The current hearings are set to continue until 15 October, with a further session for families on 20 October. If urgent patient safety concerns emerge before the inquiry’s final report, Baroness Lampard said she could issue interim recommendations.
Why it Matters
The referral of ten trusts to the regulator highlights a critical gap between the promise of new monitoring tools and the protection of patients’ rights. When technology is introduced without robust, individualised consent processes, it risks eroding trust and infringing on fundamental freedoms, especially among those already vulnerable in mental health settings. Ensuring that innovation is matched by rigorous ethical oversight is not just a regulatory requirement; it is a prerequisite for safe, dignified care.
