Inquiry to be held into north-east England NHS trust after patient deaths

A public inquiry will be held into the failures of a north-east NHS foundation after the deaths of several patients, Wes Streeting has confirmed.

The health secretary made the announcement in Darlington, speaking to the families of patients who died while receiving treatment from hospitals run by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS foundation trust, which is headquartered in the County Durham town.

The inquiry will look into the number of the trust’s patients who took their own lives in the past decade, which the Department of Health and Social Care called “concerning”.

Three of the people known to have died while under the trust’s care were the 17-year-olds Nadia Sharif and Christie Harnett, who killed themselves 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 at Lanchester Road hospital in County Durham.

Speaking in Darlington, Streeting called the deaths unacceptable and said that families’ “courageous and tireless campaigning” had been “nothing short of inspirational”.

“Everyone receiving mental healthcare should get safe, high-quality care and be treated with dignity and respect,” said the health secretary. “The care their loved ones experienced fell well short of that mark, with tragic consequences. Following several meetings with these families this year and after careful consideration, I have decided that in the circumstances a statutory inquiry is the best way to ensure they get the truth and accountability they deserve.”

The trust has been investigated in the past for its history of patient deaths, but Streeting claimed these prior investigations had not been “sufficiently comprehensive” and that not all deaths had been covered adequately.

In April 2024, the trust was fined £215,000 for offences relating to the care of two patients who died by suicide at its hospitals. The Care Quality Commission, which brought the prosecution, alleged that the trust failed to mitigate the known risks the patients were exposed to after previous self-harm incidents.

Andy McDonald, the MP for nearby Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, said the announcement of an inquiry provided “a huge sense of relief and achievement reflecting years of tireless effort” from him and the loved ones of the deceased.

“The dreadful events that claimed the lives of three young women, Christie Harnett, Nadia Sharif and Emily Moore exposed a broader cultural malaise at Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS trust and many more families found themselves grieving the loss of their loved ones,” McDonald said.

“We now know that there have been numerous patients and families disastrously failed and it is imperative that every family affected gets to the truth of what happened and how the system let them and their loved ones down so very badly.”

Alison Smith, chief executive of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS foundation trust, said: “First and foremost, I extend 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 that we continually improve as an organisation”.