Northamptonshire Police is investigating several incidents that allegedly took place at a mental health care charity, including assault, wilful neglect and ill treatment, and has made several arrests.
A spokesperson told Civil Society that Northamptonshire Police launched a corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter investigation into St Andrew’s Healthcare following the death of a teenage girl at the charity’s Northampton hospital in October 2024.
Since then, Northamptonshire Police has been involved in three other investigations into the charity in relation to the death of a man in February 2025 and alleged assaults in June and July 2025.
Last year, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated St Andrew’s Healthcare Northampton as “inadequate” and ordered it to restrict new admissions to the hospital “due to the level of concern found during the inspection”.
St Andrew’s Healthcare, which employed 4,081 employees and recorded a total income of £236m as of March 2025, provides specialist mental healthcare for around 600 patients across the UK.
Police investigations
Northamptonshire Police said it arrested an individual in connection with its investigation into the death of a teenage girl in October 2024, but released them and took no further action.
Separately, it arrested eight people “on suspicion of wilful neglect and ill treatment by a care worker in relation to allegations of assault made in July 2025”.
“This complex investigation is ongoing, with all eight people arrested remaining on bail,” the spokesperson told Civil Society.
They said a further investigation into the death of a man in February 2025 continues, with five people arrested on suspicion of corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter.
“Four people have been released with no further action being taken against them, while one person remains on bail for the offence of wilful neglect by a care worker,” they said.
Northamptonshire Police’s detectives are also investigating a report of an assault that allegedly occurred in June 2025.
They arrested a woman from Northampton on suspicion of assault and ill treatment/wilful neglect in connection with this incident, who was released on bail pending further enquiries.
Hospital rated ‘inadequate’
In July and August 2025, the CQC inspected the charity’s Northampton hospital in response to an incident reported by St Andrew’s Healthcare involving an alleged assault by an employee on a person.
The health and social care regulator said it was aware of several allegations from patients of staff abuse on different wards across the hospital.
In a report published in December, the CQC identified 14 breaches of regulation related to person-centred care, safe care and treatment, safeguarding, dignity and respect, good management and staffing.
Craig Howarth, CQC’s deputy director of mental health, said: “During our visit to St Andrew’s Northampton, it was concerning that improvements hadn’t been made since our previous inspections and people were still at risk of receiving unsafe care.
“This is despite us providing detailed information in our previous reports of the areas that leaders needed to improve.
“This inspection took place due to a serious incident on a ward involving an alleged assault by a member of staff.
“In addition to this incident, we saw evidence of closed cultures on wards and several other incidents which were improper, abusive, inappropriate and unsafe.”
Charity: ‘We’re sorry to those affected’
A spokesperson for St Andrew’s Healthcare told Civil Society that the charity is “committed to full transparency” and takes “a zero-tolerance approach to any allegation of harm or poor practice”.
“We immediately reported these cases to the police for investigation,” they said.
“Following their own independent investigation, the police concluded that no further action was required in one case and closed it. The remaining cases are ongoing.
“Patient safety is our highest priority, and we have an urgent action plan to strengthen the quality of care we provide.
“We acknowledge that care at our Northampton hospital hasn’t always met the standards every patient deserves, and we’re sorry to those affected.”
The spokesperson said the plan includes new training for all frontline staff, reducing agency staffing to near zero and increasing nursing levels per patient.
It also includes installing CCTV on most wards, strengthening leadership in nursing and clinical services, building an open culture where staff feel safe to speak up and removing management layers to bring leaders closer to ward teams.
