A York MP has called for a public inquiry into an NHS trust serving the city – saying “vulnerable people have died in their services” following “neglect and failures”.
Rachael Maskell said she has “received a great deal of correspondence” from people impacted by “failings” at the Tees Esk and Wear Valley Trust (TEWV).
The trust provides mental health and learning disability services to all ages in York.
A TEWV spokesperson said, as an NHS trust, it has “no role or influence on public inquiries”, adding: “These are a matter for the government. We will co-operate fully as required with openness and transparency.”
Ms Maskell met with mental health minister Baroness Gillian Merron on Tuesday (September 16) to “discuss our concerns regarding TEWV across the region”.
The York Central MP said she will be “hearing more from the health secretary [Wes Streeting] in the weeks to come”.
She said the meeting with Baroness Merron followed “serious neglect and failures of safeguarding from the trust, which have left people without adequate care”.
“This has had catastrophic consequences, and tragically has meant vulnerable people have died in their services, despite warnings that they were at serious risk of harm.
“I have received a great deal of correspondence from people impacted by TEWV’s failings, and met with several constituents in crisis, who have been let down by a system that they must depend on.
“It cannot continue in this current state, which is why we are urgently calling for better systems of accountability, and a full public inquiry into the trust.
“In raising the deep concern we as MPs have about TEWV, due to many grievances of our constituents, the minister listened carefully and will be looking at the next steps to be taken.
“We are focused on ensuring that people in our communities are safe and receiving the healthcare they need.”
Ms Maskell added: “I am glad that the minister took our concerns so seriously and am grateful to families, agencies and Healthwatch in York for bringing so many issues to my attention.
“From my first speech in the House of Commons to today, the mental wellbeing of my constituents is of the utmost importance to me.
“I look forward to hearing more from the Health Secretary in the weeks to come.”
Trust says it takes 'every opportunity to improve the care we provide'
The TEWV spokesperson said: “Our deepest sympathies remain with the families who have lost loved ones.
"As an NHS trust, we have no role or influence on public inquiries. These are a matter for the government. We will co-operate fully as required with openness and transparency.
“We work with some very vulnerable people, and continue to take every opportunity to improve the care we provide and have made substantial changes over the last few years."
Ms Maskell’s call for the inquiry came as York and North Yorkshire area coroner Catherine Cundy wrote to the TEWV following the death of Victoria Taylor from Norton. The report was also sent to other services which cared for Ms Taylor before her death.
Ms Cundy said there is a “risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken” by the TEWV.
In a narrative conclusion at Ms Taylor’s inquest on September 3, the coroner said the 34-year-old mother died as a result of drowning after entering the River Derwent but her reason for doing so "remains unclear”.
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The inquest heard Ms Taylor had suffered from mental health issues and used alcohol as a coping mechanism to deal with this.
Ms Cundy told the hearing she found it “difficult to understand” why community mental health services repeatedly declined to offer Ms Taylor support as her situation deteriorated during 2024.
Ms Taylor’s sister Emma Worden turned to TEWV representatives during the inquest and said the family had been “round in circles”.
“Nobody looked her in the eye and said we will help you, and she’s not here now because you failed her,” she said.
After the inquest, Elspeth Devanney, group director for nursing and quality at the TEWV trust, said it “completed a review and have made changes to improve our services” after “Victoria’s tragic death”.
“We will respond to the coroner’s report and take action to continue to improve and provide high-quality care to the people in our communities,” she added.
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