Public Inquiry Launched Into Failings At Tees NHS Trust

On December 11, 2025, the UK’s Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, announced the launch of a statutory public inquiry into the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) after years of mounting pressure from grieving families and mounting evidence of systemic failings in mental health care. The announcement marks a pivotal moment for families who have endured unimaginable loss and fought tirelessly for answers, accountability, and meaningful reform.

The inquiry comes in the wake of a series of tragic deaths among young patients under the trust’s care. Among those lost were Christie Harnett and Nadia Sharif, both just 17, who died by suicide at West Lane Hospital in Middlesbrough in 2019, and Emily Moore, 18, who took her own life in February 2020 after a week as an inpatient at Lanchester Road Hospital in County Durham. Their families, alongside others, have described the care their loved ones received as “chaotic and appalling,” and have consistently argued that these were “preventable tragedies.”

According to BBC News, the families, who met with Wes Streeting in Darlington prior to the announcement, have long maintained that only a full public inquiry could bring to light the full extent of the failures and prevent future deaths. Streeting acknowledged the gravity of their loss and the power of their advocacy, stating, “What happened to their loved ones is unacceptable. Their courageous and tireless campaigning – not only on behalf of their families but for everyone in urgent need of mental health support – has been nothing short of inspirational.”

The inquiry’s scope will be focused on uncovering failures in care at TEWV, running separately from other ongoing investigations, such as the Lampard Inquiry. The aim, as Streeting put it, is to “ensure they get the truth and accountability they deserve,” and to make actionable recommendations to reduce the risk of similar tragedies in the future. The trust, which serves a population of around two million across County Durham, Teesside, and North Yorkshire, has pledged to fully support the process “with transparency, openness and humility.”

Alison Smith, the recently appointed chief executive of TEWV, expressed her sympathy and commitment to change, saying, “First and foremost, I extend my deepest sympathy to everyone affected by these tragic losses. With the public inquiry now confirmed, we will fully support the process with transparency, openness and humility. Above all, we are committed to listening, reflecting, and taking meaningful action to ensure that we continually improve as an organisation.”

The trust’s troubled history has been well documented. In 2022, an independent inquiry found that three young women had died after a catalogue of 119 failings at what was described as an “unstable” and “overstretched” mental health hospital. The trust was fined £200,000 after admitting failures in the care of Christie Harnett and another unnamed patient. It was also ordered to pay £215,000 for safety failings that contributed to the deaths of Harnett and another patient, as reported by ChronicleLive and BBC News.

Michael Harnett, Christie’s stepfather from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, spoke candidly about the conditions his stepdaughter endured at West Lane Hospital. He recounted, “It was horrendous, every patient seemed to be self-harming. There’d be patients walking around covered in blood. Why was it allowed to get that bad and why has it been allowed to carry on since?” His repeated complaints to the trust, he said, led to little change, fueling his fear that without answers, more lives could be lost.

Emily Moore’s father, David, shared that campaigning for a public inquiry was what kept him going after his daughter’s death. “She deserves it and I want to make sure it doesn’t happen to any other families,” he said, echoing the sentiments of many affected relatives who believe that only a thorough public investigation can drive lasting change.

Andy McDonald, MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, has been a steadfast supporter of the families’ campaign for justice. Welcoming the announcement, he said, “Today we have a huge sense of relief and achievement reflecting years of tireless effort, but also a sense of vindication for their determination that only a public inquiry would do. The dreadful events that claimed the lives of three young women, Christie Harnett, Nadia Sharif and Emily Moore, exposed a broader cultural malaise at Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust and many more families found themselves grieving the loss of their loved ones.”

McDonald further emphasized the need for all public services to be held to account, acknowledging the trust’s ongoing efforts to prevent future failures but stressing the importance of the inquiry in enabling the trust to “learn and embed the improvements in practice for the future that are clearly needed if our community is to have confidence in its Mental Health services.” He added, “This has been a long hard fight to get to this day and the inquiry ahead will be painful but sadly it is very necessary.”

The trust’s recent leadership changes have also drawn attention. Earlier this year, Brent Kilmurray, who had led TEWV for nearly five years, announced his departure, with Alison Smith stepping in as chief executive. Smith’s arrival has been seen as a potential catalyst for change, with her public commitment to transparency and improvement.

The broader context is sobering. The deaths of Christie, Nadia, and Emily were not isolated incidents. Over the past decade, there have been numerous patient deaths by suicide at the trust, affecting both adults and children. Previous investigations, according to campaigners and MPs, have not been sufficiently comprehensive, failing to cover all deaths and systemic issues within the trust’s care.

This new public inquiry is designed to address those gaps. It will operate independently of other ongoing inquiries and promises to scrutinize the specific circumstances and failures at TEWV, with the goal of restoring public confidence in mental health services and, ultimately, saving lives.

For the families at the heart of this campaign, the inquiry represents the culmination of years of advocacy, heartbreak, and determination. While the process ahead may be painful, it is also a necessary step toward justice, accountability, and meaningful reform in mental health care for some of the most vulnerable people in the North East.

As the inquiry prepares to get underway, all eyes will be on TEWV and the government’s response, with the hope that this moment marks a turning point for mental health care standards across the region—and, perhaps, the nation.