Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS trust sorry after West Lane Hospital report

Author: Tom HailePublished 21st Mar 2023
Last updated 21st Mar 2023

A fourth and final report has been published into concerns and issues raised relating to the safety and quality of the provision at West Lane Hospital.

The facility in Middlesbrough was closed following the deaths of teenage girls who had been patients.

Nadia Sharif, Christie Harnett and Emily Moore died within months of each other.

The report says there was a "deteriorating spiral" of poor care, describing the mental health unit as being "chaotic and unsafe".

In response to the report, David Jennings, chair of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, said:

We would like to reiterate how deeply sorry we are for the events that contributed to the deaths of Christie, Nadia and Emily.

Brent Kilmurray, our chief executive, and I have met each of the young women’s families to apologise to them in person. I thank them for allowing us to do that. I cannot begin to imagine how painful it has been for them.

This report covers a period of time where it was abundantly clear there were shortfalls in both care and leadership. Over the last three years, how we care for people, how we involve patients, families and carers, and our leadership and governance structure have changed significantly.

We will continue to work hard to make sure we deliver safe and kind care to the people we support, as they have every right to expect.”

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