West Lane Hospital: Grieving families call for public inquiry into trust

Grieving families who lost three loved ones in the care of a troubled mental health trust have launched a fresh plea for a public inquiry.

Christie Harnett, 17, Nadia Sharif, 17, and Emily Moore, 18, died within an eight-month period at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust facilities.

An independent investigation set up by NHS England in October 2019 into their deaths is continuing.

All three teenagers were treated by TEWV for several years.

A family-run pressure group called Rebuild Trust has renewed calls for a public inquiry into the organisation, with a website set up to share the stories of the three girls.

It also includes a petition to "force a full and transparent investigation" into what the families say were repeated failings and missed opportunities.

Leaflets on the campaign are set to be handed out at Middlesbrough's FA Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday.

Ms Harnett and Ms Sharif died while in the care of West Lane Hospital in 2019.

The Care Quality Commission raised serious concerns after visiting wards the same year - rating child and adolescent mental health wards "inadequate" after uncovering "low staffing, a poor culture, and a significant number of self-harming incidents".

Ms Moore, who had previously been a patient at West Lane before moving to Ferndene Hospital in Northumberland and finally to Lanchester Road Hospital, died in February 2020 after taking her own life.

The wards at West Lane were eventually closed in September 2020 with responsibility handed to Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust (CNTW). The hospital's name was changed to Acklam Road last year.

Emily's father David Moore said there was "definitely a need" for a public inquiry into the trust.

"When you see all the failures, substandard care and lack of compassion in the hospitals it's mind-boggling," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"It's not just TEWV, it's nationwide. Mental health needs a big shake-up and needs to change - especially for those of a young age."

A total of 20 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".

Rebuild Trust remains concerned about failings flagged up in recent CQC inspections, with fears patients and their families are still not being listened to.

A statement from the group said: "We have become united by our grief and determined that their deaths will not have been in vain, and the substandard care they were subject to will not continue."

Mr Moore said the last contact their family had with TEWV was on 4 February, 2021 - which would have been Emily's 19th birthday.

He believes a public inquiry would bring out more information which would not be raised in the independent investigation.

TEWV bosses insisted they were working to turn TEWV around, with particular emphasis on culture and leadership.

Chief executive Brent Kilmurray, who took over in June 2020, said: "Our hearts go out to the families and friends of Nadia, Christie, and Emily for the loss they have suffered, and we are deeply sorry."

Mr Kilmurray said the trust was "fully cooperating" with the independent investigation and had made "significant changes" in personnel and patient care since 2019, although there "remain challenges to overcome".

"These are not quick fixes and come at a time when the demand for mental health services across the country is peaking," he said.

"We know what needs to be done and I promise the families that we are working extremely hard to deliver the changes they have every right to expect."

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