To the mums and dads with teenagers in mental health units: I’m taking action to help your child

There will be a public inquiry into the tragic deaths of mental health inpatients at NHS trusts across Essex, writes the health secretary Steve Barclay

One in four people will experience a mental health issue at some stage of their lives, and over a million people will seek treatment this year (Getty)

Throughout history, mental illness has frequently been misunderstood. From the enforced social isolation of the Middle Ages to the abhorrent asylums of the Victorian era, those suffering could too often feel there was no way out and no care available.

Thankfully, we’ve made much progress in our approach and are rightly working to remove the taboo around mental illness and treat those suffering with dignity, kindness and professionalism.

One in four people will experience a mental health issue at some stage of their lives, and over a million people will seek treatment this year. That treatment must be of the highest standard. That’s why I’ve confirmed the current inquiry into the tragic deaths of mental health inpatients at NHS trusts across Essex will become a public inquiry.