A public inquiry will be held into the failures of a north-east NHS trust following the deaths of several patients. Wes Streeting confirmed.
The Health Secretary made the announcement in Darlington while addressing the families of patients who died while being treated at Tees, Esk and Wear Valley hospitals. National Health Service Foundation Trust, whose headquarters are in County Durham.
The inquiry will examine the number of trust patients who took their own lives over the past decade as reported by the Department of Health. Health and Social assistance called “concerning”.
Three of the people known to have died while in the trust's care are 17-year-olds Nadia Sharif and Christy Harnett, who took their own lives at West Lane Hospital in Middlesbrough in June and August 2019 respectively, and 18-year-old Emily Moore, who died in February 2020 after a week spent at Lanchester Road Hospital in County Durham.
Speaking in Darlington, Streeting called the deaths unacceptable and said the families' “brave and tireless campaign” had been “nothing short of inspiring”.
“Everyone receiving mental health care should receive safe, high-quality care and be treated with dignity and respect,” the Health Minister said. “The care their loved ones received fell short of that mark, with tragic consequences. After meeting with these families several times this year and after careful consideration, I have decided that, in these circumstances, a statutory investigation is the best way to ensure they receive the truth and accountability they deserve.”
The trust has been investigated in the past for the history of patient deaths, but Streeting argued that these previous investigations were not “sufficiently comprehensive” and that not all deaths were adequately covered.
In April 2024 the trust was fined £215,000. for crimes related to the care of two patients who died by suicide in his hospitals. The Care Quality Commission, which brought the prosecution, said the trust failed to mitigate the known risks faced by patients following previous self-harm incidents.
Andy McDonald, MP for nearby Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, said the announcement of the inquiry brought him and the deceased's loved ones “a huge sense of relief and achievement, reflecting years of tireless efforts”.
“The horrific events that claimed the lives of three young women, Christy Harnett, Nadia Sharif and Emily Moore, have highlighted a wider cultural crisis in Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust, and many other families have found themselves grieving the loss of their loved ones,” McDonald said.
“We now know that there were many patients and families who suffered a catastrophic failure, and it is vital that every affected family knows the truth about what happened and how the system failed them and their loved ones so badly.”
Alison Smith, chief executive of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, said: “First and foremost, I offer my deepest sympathy to everyone affected by these tragic losses.
“With the public inquiry now confirmed, we will fully support the process with transparency, openness and humility. Above all, we are committed to listening, reflecting and taking meaningful action to ensure our organization continually improves.”
