Harrogate MP
Harrogate MP Tom Gordon
Fundamentally broken. Harrogate MP urges families to speak out in mental health inquiry
Families across Harrogate are being urged to come forward as a major public inquiry begins into a mental health trust linked to a series of failings and preventable deaths.
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Tom Gordon has issued a stark warning about Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, saying he “struggles to see” how it can continue in its current form.
The inquiry, ordered by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, will examine serious concerns over patient care after multiple cases where lives were tragically lost.
Speaking after meeting local residents, Mr Gordon said families affected by the trust must play a central role. This isn’t just a service under pressure; it’s one that’s fundamentally broken,” he said.
“As the inquiry begins, local people must come forward. Their voices are critical to driving real change.”
The MP has raised the issue in Parliament after hearing a growing number of distressing accounts from constituents, including families who lost loved ones while under care.
At a recent Harrogate meeting, legal expert Richard Scorer from Slater and Gordon explained how the inquiry will work and how people can give evidence.
The statutory inquiry will have full legal powers, meaning witnesses can be called to give evidence under oath and the trust must provide documentation. While it cannot bring criminal charges, its findings could lead to major reforms and further investigations.
Mr Gordon added that the trust has been “letting families down for far too long” and said urgent action is needed to prevent further harm.
Anyone affected is being encouraged to come forward and share their experiences as the inquiry gets underway.
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Tom was born and raised in Yorkshire, and growing up nearby he has fond memories of visiting the Great Yorkshire Show with school and day trips to Knaresborough Market with his Gran.
He was the first person in his family to go to University, and studied for a BSc (hons) in Biochemistry and a Masters of Public Health (MPH) at Newcastle University, before working in the scientific recruitment and health services research sector.
Tom first got involved in politics after family life was turned upside down when his mum was diagnosed with breast cancer. He saw first hand how statutory sick pay (SSP) wasn’t enough for his mum, a single parent working a minimum wage job, to put food on the table and pay the bills. He moved home and switched to studying part time to help care for and support his mum and younger sister.
It was this experience, and seeing first hand the lack of support for our most vulnerable and sick, that saw Tom become politically engaged and start campaigning for change. His involvement in politics saw him elected to a neighbouring Local Authority, where he was one of the youngest Council Group Leaders in Yorkshire. He took up positions working as a Researcher for an MEP and later running an MP’s office.
Tom now has settled in Harrogate and has worked in a number of policy roles in the charitable sector, including for the Carers Trust. As a former young adult carer himself, he is passionate about fighting for increased support and recognition for carers and the work they do.
Outside of politics, Tom is also a keen runner and badminton player. He has completed over a dozen long distance charity runs, including the Paris and Berlin marathons, raising money for a range of charities including Cancer Research and Alzheimer’s Society.
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