THE FIRST outpatient clinics are to reopen at Bootham Park Hospital in York since the psychiatric facility was closed last year.

It was shut down in September after a Care Quality Commission inspection concluded it was unsafe and under-staffed.

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV), the new provider of mental health and learning disability services across the Vale of York, has confirmed patients will start to be seen at Bootham from Monday, February 8.

Some minor work is still to be completed but the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has given the go-ahead to move the outpatient clinic back to the hospital.

The hospital was closed after health inspector found sinks with scalding water temperatures on wards and bedrooms, ligature points raising potential suicide concerns, staff shortages and dilapidated conditions.

But lawyers for former psychiatric patients have submitted an application to the High Court for a judicial review into the decision to close the facility with six days’ notice.

Patients had to be moved to Roseberry Park in Middlesbrough, West Park in Darlington, The Friarage in Northallerton, Sandwell Park in Hartlepool and Lanchester Road in Durham.

Outpatient services have been provided at alternative venues throughout York.

Ruth Hill, director of operations for York and Selby with TEWV, said: “This is another important step in re-establishing services.

“We appreciate that this continues to be a very unsettling time for local people and we understand their frustrations.

“We would like to reassure everyone that we are doing all we can to bring back services to York as quickly as possible.”

A new replacement for Bootham Park Hospital is expected to be open in York by 2019.