Following the fire at the George Bryan Centre on Monday 11 February we can confirm that all patients and staff were evacuated safely and are now being cared for in alternative accommodation. No injuries were sustained thanks to the quick actions of our staff and the rapid response from the fire service.

The West Wing of the George Bryan Centre cares for adults who are acutely mentally unwell. At the time of the incident there were 18 patients on the unit, all of whom are accounted for and are receiving care in alternative locations.

The East Wing is currently operating as normal.

A full investigation will be carried out in due course and we will cooperate fully with our fire and police colleagues on this.

Neil Carr, Chief Executive said, “I would like to pay tribute to the staff who dealt with this emergency with great professionalism and ensured everyone was evacuated in a safe and timely way.

We have robust emergency evacuation procedures in the Trust which are regularly tested, in fact the George Bryan Centre had carried out a fire drill just last week and I am confident this was an important factor in the excellent response to this situation.

We recognise this was a traumatic and distressing event for all involved and we will now ensure that all those affected receive whatever help and care they need to support their emotional well being.”

Any relatives or friends who are concerned about patients from the George Bryan Centre should contact the hospital site manager via the Trust switchboard on 0300 790 7000.