Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministerial Statement

Abuse and Deaths in Secure Mental Health Units

03 November 2022 · 10 other contributors

Opened by Maria Caulfield Con Lewes

Mental HealthNHS

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Maria Caulfield raised concerns about abuse and deaths in secure mental health units in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Caulfield acknowledged the tragic deaths of Christie, Nadia and Emily in mental health facilities and apologised for the failings in their care.
  • The Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust will invest 5 million to improve ligature risks, care plans, observation policies, staff training, and culture.
  • The Minister noted broader patient safety issues, referencing recent scandals at Edenfield Centre and other trusts.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Government Statement

Maria Caulfield

Caulfield acknowledged the tragic deaths of Christie, Nadia and Emily in mental health facilities and apologised for the failings in their care. She announced that the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust would invest £5 million to reduce ligature risks, improve care plans, observation policies, staff training, and culture within the trust. The Minister highlighted broader issues in patient safety, noting recent scandals at Edenfield Centre and other trusts. In response, Caulfield committed to a rapid review of mental health services, focusing on system-wide improvements and working with NHS England and CQC. She also emphasised that they would meet with the new patient safety commissioner for guidance on how to proceed.

Other contributors (10)
  • Rosena Allin-Khan Lab Tooting

    Question

    Allin-Khan expressed concern over repeated failures in mental health care, questioning why undercover reporters had better insights than government investigations. She criticised the Government's response and requested a rapid review of services and serious consideration of patient complaints.

    Minister reply

    Caulfield acknowledged the failings but emphasised urgent system-wide reviews beyond individual cases. She mentioned new legislation on force use and staff support, committed to swift NHS England investigations, and stated that national public inquiries were being considered instead of trust-specific ones.

  • Peter Bottomley

    Question

    Bottomley highlighted the importance of recruiting good people for secure units in mental health services.

    Minister reply

    Caulfield thanked him and noted efforts to recruit 27,000 more mental health workers. She reported a workforce increase of over 5.4% since June 2021, emphasising training, development, and retention as key areas.

  • Janet Daby Lab Lewisham East

    Question

    Daby pointed out the underfunding and understaffing issues in mental health services and asked for urgent change.

    Minister reply

    Caulfield reassured Members that this Government invests record levels of funding (£2.3 billion annually) and recruits more staff into the service. She acknowledged the failings laid bare by media investigations, emphasising the urgency with which they would address these issues across the country.

  • Paul Howell Con North West Durham

    Question

    I would like to acknowledge the difficulties staff face in mental health care and express my thanks to Andy McDonald for his efforts. Following the publication of an independent investigation into three young women's deaths under Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, I strongly urge a public inquiry and ask if there will be a response to letters delivered by Christie Harnett's stepfather.

    Minister reply

    I thank Paul Howell for his question. While systemic issues were identified, the decision on whether to support a public inquiry is still under consideration. The Care Quality Commission is introducing new inspection methods, and the National Mental Health Director has requested urgent service reviews. NHS England will review patients in long-term segregation mental health units.

  • Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem Bath

    Question

    What are the Government doing to support overstretched early intervention services for mental health?

    Minister reply

    We are increasing the mental health workforce by 27,000 workers and providing self-referral mechanisms for patients. Over a million patients have used these self-referral options without needing GP referrals.

  • Andy McDonald Lab Middlesbrough and Thornaby East

    Question

    I thank colleagues for their support and ask the Minister to meet me, families and others to discuss the need for a fundamental review of mental health services.

    Minister reply

    I welcome the opportunity to meet Andy McDonald, families and colleagues. The patient safety commissioner was introduced in September as another avenue for raising concerns.

  • Alex Cunningham

    Question

    The Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust needs more support to improve standards and recruit staff. What intervention plans does she have?

    Minister reply

    The trust is taking steps such as investing £5 million in reducing ligature risks and looking at care plan implementation. The Care Quality Commission is changing its inspection process to better identify issues.

  • Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett

    Question

    How will the Minister ensure that lessons learned are incorporated into the mental health strategy and suicide prevention strategies?

    Minister reply

    Legislation on restraint use has been introduced, and the draft Mental Health Bill is undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny. The House will be updated on its progress.

  • Rachel Hopkins Lab Luton South and South Bedfordshire

    Question

    What conversations is she having with the Secretary of State for Levelling Up regarding local government finances in relation to children’s mental health services?

    Minister reply

    The Secretary of State will discuss these issues with colleagues in local government ahead of the autumn statement. The focus will be on the safety of in-patient facilities.

Shadow Comment

Rosena Allin-Khan

Allin-Khan expressed deep concern about the repeated failings in mental health services, citing recent cases beyond Christie, Nadia and Emily. She criticised the Government's inadequate response and lack of action on previous inquiries. The shadow Minister called for a rapid review into mental health in-patient services and urged the Government to take patient complaints seriously.

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