NHS Trust loses York mental health contract.

An NHS trust responsible for mental health services in York has lost a £190m contract to continue running the service. 

Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) has run mental health and learning disability services in the York area and part of North Yorkshire since 2012. 

But it has not been chosen to continue providing the service by the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which criticised how Leeds had far superior services to York.

In a letter to LYPFT staff, chief executive, Chris Butler, said: "The tender process was very competitive and, following careful consideration and deliberation, the Trust Board has decided to challenge this decision via the channels available to us."

The LYPFT runs mental health services in York including Bootham Park Hospital and Lime Trees. 

There have been a series of problems relating to mental health services in York. Earlier this year a critical CQC report described how Leeds had far superior services to York and that the city’s 240-year-old Bootham Park Hospital was not fit for purpose.

At the time LYPFT said it was doing what it could in York with the money available and said York urgently needed a new mental health hospital.