Roseberry Park Hospital patients 'at risk' after deaths

Two adults have died at a mental health hospital and the safety of other patients is at risk, an MP has warned.

Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald said he had concerns over the "basic elements of care" at Roseberry Park Hospital.

The Labour MP called for NHS England to include the facility in an ongoing inquiry into nearby West Lane Hospital where patients also died.

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust said it "wouldn't be appropriate to comment" on individual incidents.

It is understood the Roseberry Park patients died last year.

Mr McDonald told BBC Tees there were "striking parallels" between the hospitals and added "there seems to have been a culture of trying to get people to be quiet and not raise issues".

"I think anyone would be concerned there's a wider, systemic issue. These are very, very serious matters indeed," he said.

"We're in this dreadful situation of what appears to be poor practice. People are now increasingly beating a path to my door to tell me what they know."

Ruth Hill, chief operating officer at the health trust, said: "It wouldn't be appropriate for us to comment on the details of individual incidents.

"It is incredibly sad when someone under our care dies and we always carry out a full investigation when this happens."

NHS England said it was in regular contact with Mr McDonald and was "aware of the additional concerns he has raised".

Inpatient wards at West Lane Hospital were closed in September following the deaths of teenagers Christie Harnett and Nadia Sharif.

Twenty staff members were suspended by the trust in the 12 months leading up to the ward closures as the Care Quality Commission said patients were at high risk of "avoidable harm".