Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
NHS / Health Body
Action Planned
• The Trust is developing a new private care protocol to guide clinicians on how to approach circumstances when a patient is accessing care from a private healthcare provider. • The protocol will operate within the existing policy framework, linked to existing policies and procedures for information sharing and record keeping. • Work to develop this new protocol is underway and will be completed by the end of this month, applying to new and existing patients. (AI summary)
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Dear Mr Shah
Regulation 28 Report Concerning Wendy Siobhan Eyles
Thank you for your Report to Prevent Future Deaths (‘Report’) dated 22 December 2025 concerning the death of Wendy Siobhan Eyles on 31 October 2024. Before responding to the matters of concern you have included within your Report, I would like to express my condolences to Ms Eyles’ family and loved ones.
The matters of concern in your Report centre on the safeguards in place when a patient is receiving NHS and private psychiatric care simultaneously. Specifically, you highlighted the lack of a protocol within the Trust when, and the lack of a notification trigger if/when a GP becomes aware that, a patient is receiving private and NHS care.
You have asked the Trust to provide details of action taken, or proposed to be taken, or to explain why no action is proposed. Accordingly, please find below our response to your concerns detailing the actions we will take.
Protocol for patients receiving NHS and private psychiatry Patient safety is of paramount importance to NHFT. We understand that there are risks to a patient’s safety when they are receiving private psychiatric care alongside our own treatment plan. To manage these risks, we are developing a new private care protocol.
Cont’d/…
Date: 12 February 2026
Trust Headquarters: St. Mary’s Hospital, London Road, Kettering, NN15 7PW
This new private care protocol will guide clinicians throughout the organisation on how to approach circumstances when it becomes known that their patient is accessing care from a private healthcare provider. It will operate within our existing policy framework, linked to existing policies and procedures for information sharing and record keeping. Work to develop this new protocol is underway and will be completed by the end of this month. Once in place it will apply to new and existing patients. Please let me know if you would like to receive a copy of the protocol and I shall arrange for it to be sent to you.
While recognising the improvement this new protocol will deliver, it is important to remember that neither the patient themselves nor a private healthcare provider is obliged to inform us when they are receiving private psychiatric care.
Sharing information when patients are accessing private psychiatry I note that you sent a copy of your Report to the Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board (NICB), as the body responsible for commissioning primary care services from GPs.
Since receiving your Report, we have been in dialogue with the NICB about the steps we can take to facilitate an appropriate exchange of information with NHFT when a GP becomes aware their patient is simultaneously receiving NHS and private psychiatric care. In their response to your Report, the NICB will confirm the specific actions they have taken to encourage the GPs they commission to notify us when a patient is receiving private psychiatric care while adhering to information governance requirements.
I hope the content of this letter fully addresses the concerns you raised in your Report and provides assurance on the steps we will take to prevent future deaths. Please contact me if you have any questions about this letter or require further information.
Regulation 28 Report Concerning Wendy Siobhan Eyles
Thank you for your Report to Prevent Future Deaths (‘Report’) dated 22 December 2025 concerning the death of Wendy Siobhan Eyles on 31 October 2024. Before responding to the matters of concern you have included within your Report, I would like to express my condolences to Ms Eyles’ family and loved ones.
The matters of concern in your Report centre on the safeguards in place when a patient is receiving NHS and private psychiatric care simultaneously. Specifically, you highlighted the lack of a protocol within the Trust when, and the lack of a notification trigger if/when a GP becomes aware that, a patient is receiving private and NHS care.
You have asked the Trust to provide details of action taken, or proposed to be taken, or to explain why no action is proposed. Accordingly, please find below our response to your concerns detailing the actions we will take.
Protocol for patients receiving NHS and private psychiatry Patient safety is of paramount importance to NHFT. We understand that there are risks to a patient’s safety when they are receiving private psychiatric care alongside our own treatment plan. To manage these risks, we are developing a new private care protocol.
Cont’d/…
Date: 12 February 2026
Trust Headquarters: St. Mary’s Hospital, London Road, Kettering, NN15 7PW
This new private care protocol will guide clinicians throughout the organisation on how to approach circumstances when it becomes known that their patient is accessing care from a private healthcare provider. It will operate within our existing policy framework, linked to existing policies and procedures for information sharing and record keeping. Work to develop this new protocol is underway and will be completed by the end of this month. Once in place it will apply to new and existing patients. Please let me know if you would like to receive a copy of the protocol and I shall arrange for it to be sent to you.
While recognising the improvement this new protocol will deliver, it is important to remember that neither the patient themselves nor a private healthcare provider is obliged to inform us when they are receiving private psychiatric care.
Sharing information when patients are accessing private psychiatry I note that you sent a copy of your Report to the Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board (NICB), as the body responsible for commissioning primary care services from GPs.
Since receiving your Report, we have been in dialogue with the NICB about the steps we can take to facilitate an appropriate exchange of information with NHFT when a GP becomes aware their patient is simultaneously receiving NHS and private psychiatric care. In their response to your Report, the NICB will confirm the specific actions they have taken to encourage the GPs they commission to notify us when a patient is receiving private psychiatric care while adhering to information governance requirements.
I hope the content of this letter fully addresses the concerns you raised in your Report and provides assurance on the steps we will take to prevent future deaths. Please contact me if you have any questions about this letter or require further information.