New chair appointed for mental health trust board

A new interim chair has been appointed at an NHS trust at the centre of an ongoing mental health public inquiry.

Jackie Craissati will lead the Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust (EPUT) board from 1 September.

EPUT has been the subject of criticism as part of the Lampard Inquiry, examining the deaths of more than 2,000 people at NHS-run mental health units in Essex between 2000 and 2023.

Craissati said: "I've always been passionate about high quality health care and the potential for mental health and community services to work closer together."

EPUT provides community health, mental health and learning disability services.

In March, the Care Quality Commission inspected parts of EPUT and found there was a "disconnect" between senior leaders and frontline service and warned that leadership at the trust needed to improve.

Craissati takes over the role from Hattie Llewelyn-Davies who joined the trust in April 2025 until her death in May.

She has worked in the NHS for more than 30 years and is also the current chair of Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust and of the Crohn's and Colitis UK charity.

"I'm delighted to be working with the board and wider team at EPUT to continue their focus on developing and improving services for communities across Essex and beyond," she said.

Trevor Smith, interim chief executive of EPUT, said: "We're delighted that Jackie will be joining the trust, bringing her experience and leadership to EPUT at this critical time in the transformation of services to give our patients the best possible care."

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