A Public Inquiry Set to Uncover Failures at North-East England NHS Trust
The UK's health secretary, Wes Streeting, has confirmed that a public inquiry will be held into the failures of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS foundation trust in north-east England following the deaths of several patients. The trust, which has faced criticism over patient deaths in the past, will face scrutiny over the tragic losses of three young women: Nadia Sharif, Christie Harnett, and Emily Moore.
The inquiry's focus will be on the number of patients who took their own lives under the trust's care over the past decade, with the Department of Health and Social Care describing the trend as "concerning". Streeting described the deaths as "unacceptable" and praised the families' "courageous and tireless campaigning", saying that they will now get the truth and accountability they deserve.
The trust has previously faced investigation over its history of patient deaths, but Streeting claimed that these investigations had not been comprehensive enough. The trust was fined £215,000 in April 2024 for offences relating to the care of two patients who died by suicide at its hospitals.
The announcement has brought relief to families affected by the tragic events. Andy McDonald, MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, said that the inquiry provided "a huge sense of relief and achievement" after years of campaigning by him and the loved ones of the deceased.
As the public inquiry gets underway, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS foundation trust has pledged to support the process with transparency, openness, and humility. Chief executive Alison Smith expressed her sympathy to everyone affected by the losses, stating that the organisation is committed to listening, reflecting, and taking meaningful action to improve its services.
The inquiry will provide a platform for families to finally get answers about what went wrong and how the system failed them. With the UK's healthcare system under scrutiny, this public inquiry marks an important step towards accountability and improvement.
The UK's health secretary, Wes Streeting, has confirmed that a public inquiry will be held into the failures of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS foundation trust in north-east England following the deaths of several patients. The trust, which has faced criticism over patient deaths in the past, will face scrutiny over the tragic losses of three young women: Nadia Sharif, Christie Harnett, and Emily Moore.
The inquiry's focus will be on the number of patients who took their own lives under the trust's care over the past decade, with the Department of Health and Social Care describing the trend as "concerning". Streeting described the deaths as "unacceptable" and praised the families' "courageous and tireless campaigning", saying that they will now get the truth and accountability they deserve.
The trust has previously faced investigation over its history of patient deaths, but Streeting claimed that these investigations had not been comprehensive enough. The trust was fined £215,000 in April 2024 for offences relating to the care of two patients who died by suicide at its hospitals.
The announcement has brought relief to families affected by the tragic events. Andy McDonald, MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, said that the inquiry provided "a huge sense of relief and achievement" after years of campaigning by him and the loved ones of the deceased.
As the public inquiry gets underway, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS foundation trust has pledged to support the process with transparency, openness, and humility. Chief executive Alison Smith expressed her sympathy to everyone affected by the losses, stating that the organisation is committed to listening, reflecting, and taking meaningful action to improve its services.
The inquiry will provide a platform for families to finally get answers about what went wrong and how the system failed them. With the UK's healthcare system under scrutiny, this public inquiry marks an important step towards accountability and improvement.
I'm like totally relieved that there's gonna be a public inquiry into the failings of Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS trust... those deaths are just heartbreaking 
especially with 3 young women involved. I feel so sorry for their families who've been campaigning for answers for years. This trust has had some major issues in the past, but it's clear they're taking this seriously now 
and are committed to transparency and change. Fingers crossed that this inquiry brings some real accountability and improvements to patient care 
!
The fact that a public inquiry has been set up is a big deal. It shows that the government is taking these deaths seriously and wants to get to the bottom of what went wrong. I mean, 3 young women taking their own lives in a NHS trust's care is just devastating 
. You can imagine how their families must be feeling all this time. 
I'm glad that the families of these girls have been able to campaign so hard and now get some answers 
. But at the same time, I hope they're not just left with more questions... 
. It shows they're willing to listen and learn from their mistakes. We need more of that in our healthcare system 
. Accountability and improvement are what we need, not just a slap on the wrist 
The way the UK is handling this public inquiry is like, really good. I mean, it's a huge relief for the families that have been campaigning for years to get answers about what happened to their loved ones. It's not just about throwing money at the problem or giving some lip service, they're actually setting up an independent investigation to get to the bottom of things. And, you know, I think it's awesome that the trust is being transparent and humble about its failures. It's like, we can all learn from our mistakes, right? 
. It's been a long time since these families have had any answers, and I'm sure it's a huge weight off their shoulders knowing that they'll finally get the truth 
. We need more of this kind of accountability to ensure that patients receive the care they deserve 
.
. I started thinking about how our brains can create these incredible mental escapes from reality, you know? And then I realized that maybe our NHS trust could benefit from some fresh perspectives 
It's time for us to rethink how we hold our NHS trusts accountable and make sure they're actually doing what's best for patients, not just themselves 
.
I'm still thinking about those three girls who died at that hospital... Nadia, Christie, and Emily 
it's just so sad. I remember when they were on the news back in 2023... their families have been fighting for answers all this time, and now finally there's a public inquiry 
i mean it's about time someone held them accountable for all those deaths especially the ones who took their own lives 
those girls were just 20 & 22 yrs old for crying out loud! 
how could anyone let that happen?! 
this public inquiry better be thorough because i'm not buying the "we're sorry" vibes from these people...let's get to the bottom of it 
these deaths at Tees Esk & Wear Valleys NHS trust are just heartbreaking 
and im all for it Wes Streting is right tho public inquiry is a huge step towards holding ppl accountable 
this trust has been thru hell already with fines & investigations but not enough apparently 
like it was just going to magically fix itself idk why they needed all those years of campaigning from one MP lol anyway glad the families get some answers but I'm sure it's gonna be a super interesting read when the truth comes out