Almost 300 patients are set to be moved from a mental health hospital in Northampton following multiple police inquiries. NHS England has ordered St Andrew’s Healthcare to reallocate 287 inpatients to alternative facilities around the country weeks after it was revealed multiple staff members had been arrested after allegations of abuse and neglect. The hospital provider, which is a registered charity, previously received a warning from the NHS over allegations of poor care in December 2025.
On Monday, officials issued another letter to local health chiefs ordering them to discharge or move the patients on the basis of ongoing safety concerns and “unacceptable issues” at the site. 10 people have been bailed or released pending police inquiries since January following accusations of rape, wilful neglect and ill treatment.
A report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published in December also cited CCTV footage of staff kicking and hitting a restrained patient as their colleagues watched on.
“A staff member involved in the incident could be seen smiling as well as looking at the CCTV camera,” the report said.
The privately-run hospital, which has capacity for 400 patients, caters to people with brain injuries and mental health conditions including eating disorders and psychosis.
Its services are largely commissioned by the NHS and it had an income of almost £220million in the year ending March 2024.
NHS England said in the letter: “We still do not have adequate assurance that patient safety is improving at the rate it needs to, and our concerns about patient safety remain.
“We therefore must act now to ensure patients receive the care and treatment they deserve.”
*** Ensure our latest news headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings. ***
The removal of patients does not apply to the charity’s hospitals in Birmingham or Essex.
An NHS England spokesperson told the BBC: “The NHS is taking action to remove patients from the St Andrew’s Northampton site to protect their welfare given the lack of improvements and unacceptable issues identified.
“We recognise the anxiety this will cause for everyone involved and will do everything in our power to ensure alternative placements are managed safely, sensitively and efficiently for all patients and families.
“In the meantime, we are providing 24/7 enhanced oversight at the site until every patient has been moved as well as supporting the sites helping to provide alternative care to ensure it is in patients’ best interests.”
A spokesperson for St Andrew’s Healthcare added: “We note the letter from NHS England. We are working through the implications for our staff and patients. We look forward to working with NHS England on a long-term plan to support patients.”