THE Care Quality Commission has taken urgent enforcement action to close mental health wards at the crisis-hit West Lane Hospital in Middlesbrough, with arrangements to relocate existing patients being made.

The health watchdog said it was serving the action, following the "continued concerns" that it been found during inspections of its Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in June and August.

West Lane Hospital, which was already under investigation following the deaths of two 17-year-old mental health patients earlier this year, was rated 'Inadequate' as part of a CQC inspection into the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.

In June, 17-year-old inpatient, Christie Brayley from Newton Aycliffe died after she allegedly tried to take her own life.

While just weeks later, another inpatient, 17-year-old Nadia Sharif from Middlesbrough, was found in a coma and later died at James Cook University Hospital.

The CQC had found a number of failures at West Lane Hospital and said patients were not safe, were at risk of avoidable harm and that there had been a failure of staff carrying out their roles correctly.

A spokesperson for the CQC said: "CQC has taken urgent enforcement action at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust which will lead to the closure of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service units at West Lane Hospital.

"The action follows continued concerns identified at earlier inspections in June and August, and the recent inspection on 20 and 21 August 2019.

The CQC said it was now working with the trust and NHS England to arrange appropriate and alternative care and support for the patients currently at West Lane Hospital.

It said: “Inspectors are currently working closely with the trust and NHS England who are arranging appropriate alternative care and support for the young people affected.

“CQC’s priority is always the safety and well-being of people using services and has taken this action to ensure they are protected and kept safe from avoidable harm.

"The report from the most recent inspection in August will be published in due course. Any action taken by CQC is open to appeal by the provider.”

The Holly unit at West Park Hospital and Baysdale Unit at Roseberry Park, also run by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, are unaffected by the CQC's enforcement action.