Private NHS files on vulnerable patients left in old centre – trustee claims

South Staffordshire and Shropshire NHS Trust, which provides mental health services across the two counties, has left around 30 files at the Chartley Centre in Stafford when it closed its doors in 2011.

The documents include patients' names, address, diagnosis, and treatment. The building's landlord, The Interlink Pension Fund, has been involved in a dispute with NHS bosses over the state of the building – and the fact that medical records were left at the Stone Road site.

Fund trustee Michael Snape said the NHS body departed in 'haste' at the end of its lease after leaving the building in a state of disrepair.

And despite flagging up the forgotten medical files, NHS bosses have never acted. The trust, which serves 1.1 million people, said it is now taking steps to recover the files after an approach from the Express & Star.

Mr Snape described the NHS trust as the 'worst' tenant he has dealt with. He said wires were left hanging out of walls, surfaces and fittings left severely damaged, and window frames rotting.

And he says the trust is facing bills in excess of £30,000 after failing to cancel its accounts with power suppliers. He put in a claim of £410,000 to cover his costs but settled for £130,000.

The 75-year-old, who was a construction consultant in the county town, now lives in Surrey. He says numerous letters to chief executive Neil Carr have never been responded to. The former Tixall resident said: "While it is not unusual to have to settle with a tenant to fix the building, the sheer scale of the dilapidation was such that the building has not been re-let since. It is a disgusting way to behave.

"But put our dealings aside, I am appalled at that patient information, which would be considered sensitive, have been treated with such cavalier disrespect such was their haste to leave the building."

The trust ran its mental health day centre in the building from 1999 but it closed as part of a package of controversial measures in 2011. A trust spokeswoman confirmed the building was vacated in September 2011 and a fee was agreed with the landlord to pay for damage.

She said: "We are endeavouring to make contact with Mr Snape to ascertain what records he is referring to. Should these prove to be trust patient records we will follow the proper procedure.

"We are committed to providing care in the most appropriate environment. We continually review both our own buildings and those where we are tenants to ensure that they are both fit for purpose and cost effective."