MENTAL health crisis services and specialist services for young people in parts of County Durham and Teesside have deteriorated, according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys (TEWV) NHS Foundation Trust has been rated as "requires improvement" following an inspection which follows the death of two girls at its West Lane Hospital, in Middlesbrough, last year.

Kevin Cleary, the CQC’s deputy chief inspector of hospitals and lead for mental health, said: “During our most recent inspection of TEWV NHS Foundation Trust we found some services had deteriorated while others had failed to make sufficient improvements."

The inspection took place between September 24 and November 6 last year, which followed the closure of wards at West Lane Hospital, after the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) was rated inadequate.

Colin Martin, chief executive at TEWV, said the trust was "working quickly" to improve care.

The service runs the following mental health services, which were giving the following overall rating:

  • Acute wards for adults of working age and psychiatric intensive care units: GOOD
  • Long-stay or rehabilitation mental health wards for working age adults: GOOD
  • Forensic inpatient or secure wards: GOOD
  • Child and adolescent mental health wards: INADEQUATE
  • Wards for older people with mental health problems: REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT
  • Wards for people with a learning disability or autism: GOOD
  • Community-based mental health services for adults of working age: GOOD
  • Mental health crisis services and health-based places of safety: REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT
  • Specialist community mental health services for children and young people: REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT
  • Community-based mental health services for older people: GOOD
  • Community mental health services for people with a learning disability or autism: GOOD
  • Specialist eating disorders service: GOOD
  • Overall: REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT

Services run by the trust have come under fire in recent months following the deaths of a number of people in its care. 

Last month, the father of 18-year-old Emily Moore, from Shildon, criticised TEWV for her care after she died at Lanchester Road Hospital, near Durham. It is believed she took her own life.  

And in January, Middlesbrough MP called from an inquiry at Roseberry Park Mental Health Hospital after the death of two adults in 2019. 

NHS England is in the early stages of an independent investigation.  

Following the CQC inspection, Mr Cleary highlighted safety risks not always being well managed and said poor staffing in specialist community mental health services for children and young people was resulting in long delays.

He said: "Risks to people’s safety were not always well managed and we found issues that could compromise people’s privacy and dignity. We found medicines were not always effectively managed, some parts of the trust’s buildings were not fit for purpose and we remained concerned that disciplinary and grievance processes were not being followed.

“In specialist community mental health services for children and young people we found staffing was poor and the workload too high, resulting in long delays. When we reviewed care records in mental health crisis services and health-based places of safety, the majority lacked individualised detail.

“However, we found that staff treated patients with compassion and kindness. They took concerns and complaints seriously, investigated them, learned lessons and shared any findings. We were encouraged to find a number of areas of outstanding practice at the trust and a leadership team that was visible and approachable, and that provided development opportunities to staff.

“We reported our inspection findings to the trust and will continue to monitor its progress. This will include further inspections.”

Across the trust, which runs 73 wards, in 22 locations, one of its "core services" is rated as "inadequate" for safety, with a further six requiring improvement.

Overall, it was rated as requiring improvement and the CQC said TEWV must make 19 improvements across seven core services.

It gave a further 54-point plan on what action the trust should take to improve.

Colin Martin, chief executive at TEWV, said: “We are disappointed to be rated requires improvement overall but we know that improvements are needed. We are working quickly to address these to make sure we provide the best possible care.

“We’ve already made changes since the inspection, including work around staffing, recruitment and the progression of building projects to replace those highlighted in the report. We know that there is more to do and that there will always be opportunities to further improve. We are committed to doing this with a key focus on patient safety and responsive services.

“The report also acknowledges some areas of outstanding practice and we were pleased inspectors recognised that our staff treat patients with compassion and kindness and that they are skilled and supported.

"Inspectors also said that the trust has a positive and open culture and engages positively with patients, carers and staff."

Inspectors highlighted some "outstanding" practice, including parts of the specialist service for people with eating disorders and community mental health services for people with a learning disability or autism.