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Katie Cole reports that Emily Moore’s parents were told by the health trust looking after her that they were not breaking the law.
The North East’s largest mental health agency has been cleared of failing to provide safe care and treatment to a teenager who died in its care.
Emily Moore was a patient at Lanchester Road Hospital, near Durham, when she took her own life in February 2020.
Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust has been taken to court by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) over alleged deficiencies in the care of an 18-year-old boy.
After the emotional hearing on Monday, March 11, Emily’s father David Moore told ITV Tyne Tees that the outcome was not what the family had hoped for and that “justice has not been served”. he said.
“Honestly, I think it’s what we expected, but it’s not something we agree with,” he said.
“There was a lot of content that was narrowed down to the care plan, but at the end of the day, to me, it was the plan, and I felt like they took out the word ‘care,’ because care certainly was. ” Emily wasn’t there from day one. ”
She added that the past four years have been “hell” and that she has spent all day thinking about her daughter. Her family continues to wait for an autopsy to be performed.
Emily was under the care of Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) from February 2017 until shortly before her death in February 2020.
She was a patient at West Lane Hospital in Middlesbrough, which was closed by the CQC in 2019. The trust previously admitted there were deficiencies in her care at the scene.
Emily died in an incident in February 2020, when she was a resident on Lanchester Road Hospital’s Tunstall ward. Her treatment at the hospital was the subject of this month’s trial.
The CQC prosecuted Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust as it believed it had exposed Emily to a serious risk of avoidable harm at Lanchester Road Hospital.
However, after considering expert evidence during the trial, the judge was satisfied that this was not the case.
Anne Ford, CQC’s Northern Operations Director, said: “This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with Emily’s family as they grieve their loss.
“While we are extremely disappointed with this outcome, we hope this prosecution serves as a reminder to other health and social care organizations of the need to provide care and treatment in a safe manner that meets people’s needs. I hope.
“If we find that people are at risk of harm, we will not hesitate to take action in line with our enforcement powers to keep people safe.”
Reacting to the judgment, Brent Kilmurry, chief executive of Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“We would like to reiterate how deeply sorry we are for their loss. Unfortunately, nothing positive will come from this.
“We have acknowledged and apologized for the unacceptable negligence in Emily’s care during her stay at West Lane Hospital, and that remains the case. Our position on that has not changed. Is not …
“However, this charge was related to Emily’s treatment records at another hospital.
“During the trial we heard from independent expert witnesses that her care was safe, appropriate and compassionate, but we do not believe this warrants prosecution by the CQC.”
“That’s why we had to defend this case.”
The CQC is also prosecuting Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust over the deaths of two other people in its care.
The trust has pleaded guilty to these two charges and a sentencing hearing is scheduled to take place at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Friday 19 April.
Are you or someone you know struggling with mental health?
Find advice and support for children and young people here.
Where children can find mental health help in the North East and North Yorkshire
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Mental health: Where to get help in the North East if you’re facing challenges
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