Specialist NHS learning disability hospital to close in review

Calderstones NHS Foundation Trust was inspected by the CQC in July 2014

The UK's only NHS specialist hospital for patients with learning disabilities will close following a widespread review.

Calderstones in Clitheroe, Lancashire, received "heavy criticism" in December from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Inspectors found "serious deficiencies" in the quality of care and cleanliness and hygiene.

Mersey Care NHS Trust said it intends to take over Calderstones Partnership NHS Foundation Trust from July 2016.

Joe Rafferty, chief executive of Mersey Care NHS Trust said: "We will continue to look at every option for becoming a centre of excellence, in line with the national ambition for transforming learning disability care."

The hospital offers secure and specialist services to men and women with developmental condition.

The CQC found staffing levels were low at the hospital which has 233 beds.

There were too many instances of patients being restrained while face-down, the CQC found.

'Lack of community services'

Calderstones will close following a widespread review following the Winterbourne View care home abuse scandal in Gloucestershire revealed by the BBC's Panorama programme in 2011.

Some patients will be transferred to other facilities and others cared for their own homes.

NHS England said inpatient beds are used too often as a long-term solution due to a lack of community services and cost on average more than £175,000 per year.

Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said: "As good and necessary as some inpatient care can be, people with learning disabilities are clear they want to live in homes, not hospitals.

"We've seen some progress over the last few years, but now is the moment to grasp the nettle and build the excellent community-based support that will allow people to move out of hospitals."

Mersey Care NHS Trust intends to take over the Calderstones Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which will cease to exist from next July.