NHS trust takes on under-fire hospital's patients

Mental health patients have been transferred from the care of an under-fire hospital to an NHS trust.

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) said the patients at the former St Andrew's Hospital, were now under its stewardship.

In March it was announced 287 inpatients were to be removed from the site in Northampton by NHS England due to safety concerns.

Angela Hillery, chief executive of NHFT, said: "We are committed to listening, learning and providing compassionate, quality care."

To enable the transfer, several buildings have been leased by NHFT from St Andrew's - including William Wake House and Fitzroy House.

Care will also be provided to some inpatients at neighbouring Smyth House and Kemsley House.

NHFT said the following services had been transferred:

• Midlands' male inpatient medium and low-secure
• National secure D/deaf
• National secure male acquired brain injury

St Andrew's Hospital was vacated after patients, relatives and whistleblowers described a culture of abuse at the site.

The BBC revealed in February that 15 staff members had been arrested since October following allegations of rape, ill-treatment and neglect.

It is now expected to have about 160 patients and 1,700 staff working there.

NHFT has also taken on a number of additional patients who require a long-term arrangement away from St Andrew's Hospital.

Hillery said: "Our immediate focus has been on ensuring we are together and safe from day one, and we will now build on that foundation by continuing to improve and develop these important specialist services for people."

She said the transfer provided "greater certainty" for patients, carers and NHS staff.

"We know that we are on an improvement journey, and with our new colleagues, service users and carers, we will work together to develop a positive future for these services," Hillery added.

NHFT said its service at Berrywood Hospital in Duston would be unaffected.

Trevor Torrington, chief executive of St Andrew's Healthcare, said: "The transfer provides certainty for many patients who will continue to be cared for by specialist clinical teams led by NHFT."

St Andrew's Healthcare said it would continue to provide inpatient services at its hospitals in Birmingham and Essex, adult care services in Northampton and Nottinghamshire as well as outpatient services and specialist research.

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