Judge to chair inquiry into England NHS trust failings

His Honour Judge John Potter has been appointed to chair the public inquiry into failings in mental health care at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, the Department of Health and Social Care has said.

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said the families who were let down by the trust had “suffered immeasurable pain”.

Cooper added: “Judge Potter has been asked to deliver a comprehensive report into why and how things went so wrong across the trust’s mental health services, and what changes must be made.”

The inquiry, launched by the government in December 2025, will formally start on 21 September and aims to establish what happened at the trust, why the failings occurred and what needs to change, the department said.

The department has been working with patients, survivors and families to help shape the inquiry’s approach, including on the qualities they wanted to see in a chair.

Judge Potter, a retired circuit judge and former deputy judge of the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal, has more than 40 years’ experience in public service, judicial leadership and the administration of justice, the department said.

Judge Potter said: “I am honoured to have been appointed to chair the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Inquiry. I am conscious of the responsibility that comes with this role and of the experiences of the patients, families and others affected by the matters the inquiry will examine.”

Potter added: “My first priority will be to meet and listen to those affected. Their voices and experiences will be central to the inquiry’s work and will help inform the development of its terms of reference.”

“The inquiry will approach its task independently, thoroughly and fairly, and with respect for everyone who takes part. I will work with the inquiry team to put the necessary arrangements in place so that our work can begin as promptly as proper preparation allows.”

The appointment follows what the department called government progress to improve mental health services, including 159 new NHS mental health facilities across England, backed by £343m, to help fewer people reach crisis point, and the suicide prevention strategy for England and improved support for those affected by self-harm or bereaved by suicide.

NHS mental health spending will also rise to a record £16.1bn in 2026-27, a real-terms increase of about £140m, the department said.

The department said a mental health strategy for England would set out how the government planned to build a more integrated system that intervenes earlier, cuts waiting times for support and helps people stay active in education, work, family and community life.

Correction, 20 September 2026: An earlier version of this story gave the inquiry chair’s name as Judge Roderick Potter. The Department of Health and Social Care refers to the chair as His Honour Judge John Potter.