NHS England has instructed local commissioners to move nearly 300 NHS patients out of St Andrew's Healthcare Northampton — an 'unprecedented step' prompted by allegations of mistreatment and neglect that triggered regulatory inspections late last year.
Unions called the move 'troubled' but stressed staff were not to blame; CEO Dr Vivienne McVey announced immediate retirement on Monday. Nurses and healthcare assistants at the charity provider, which also runs sites in Birmingham, Nottingham and North Benfleet, are 'anxious' about their jobs, per Unison.
The relocation is one of the largest patient transfers in recent NHS history and raises serious questions about oversight of independent-sector providers delivering mental health care.
