York's Bootham Park Hospital 'unfit' and will close

The Grade I-listed Bootham Park Hospital was built in 1777

An 18th Century psychiatric hospital in York is to close after a report by the health watchdog found it was not fit for purpose.

Inspectors said there were serious risks to patients at Bootham Park, poor hygiene and not enough staff.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said all clinical services must be relocated from Wednesday.

Leeds and York Partnership NHS Trust said its priority was patient safety and other accommodation had been found.

The Grade-I listed hospital had already been deemed unsafe following an inspection in 2014.

'Urgent restriction'

A follow-up visit by the CQC earlier this month found that improvement work had not been carried out.

It said as a result it had "imposed an urgent legal restriction on the registration of the trust".

The trust said all patients from ward six had been moved to Cherry Tree House in York.

It added alternative accommodation was being sought for inpatients from ward one and two and outpatients.

Chris Butler, the trust's chief executive, said: "My colleagues and I are currently working out what we can do that's in patients' best interests and we are speaking to other providers in the region.

"This will in turn clarify how our staff will be affected."