Priory Cheadle Royal mental health hospital - where three young woman died within eight weeks - ordered to make improvements by watchdog after critical inspection report

A mental health hospital where three women died within eight weeks has been criticised by the health watchdog and issued a notice ordering bosses to make improvements. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said changes need to be made on acute wards for adults, and on psychiatric intensive care units, at the Cheadle Royal Hospital, also known as The Priory.

Inspectors carried out a visit in February and March. The report that followed was published today (October 25). The overall rating for adult acute wards and psychiatric intensive care units has dropped from 'good' to 'requires improvement'. The safety of the two areas fell from 'good' to 'inadequate'.

The wards inspected included those on which the three women - Beth Matthews, Lauren Bridges and Deseree Fitzpatrick - died in early 2022. The CQC said the 'unannounced comprehensive inspection of seven acute wards for adults of working age and PICU wards [was] in response to receiving information of concern about the service'.

READ MORE: Three young women, three tragic deaths, one mental health hospital

READ MORE: Another young woman dies at same hospital where three died in less than two months

Hospital bosses said staff have 'addressed the issues raised', 'which are largely focused on physical health monitoring and risk assessments for blood clots that have caused no harm to our patients'.

The latest CQC report deals with the wards where Beth, Lauren and Deseree were cared for, as well as other acute and PICU wards. Earlier this year, a damning inspection report into the hospital's services for children and young people was published.

They were rated 'inadequate'. Acute wards are for people who are experiencing a severe, short term episode of mental illness and