HUNDREDS of people have demanded a mental health hospital to close down after a patient tragically passed away.

Huntercombe Hospital, Huntercombe Lane South, Maidenhead, is a specialist child and adolescent mental health inpatient service, including psychiatric intensive care units for young people.

Huntercombe Young People Ltd took over the site in March 2021, after the previous provider of the hospital was rated inadequate and was put under special measures.

It is now rated ‘requires improvement’ after the Care Quality Commission found a ‘number of improvements’.

READ MORE: Berkshire schools: Parents fined for not taking children to school

But 2,382 people have backed a petition on Change.org demanding for the Maidenhead hospital to close down.

The petitioner, Ellie Morgan, says she is a 17-year-old patient and claims an unnamed young person in her ward tragically passed away due to “staff negligence”.

A spokesperson for Active Care Group, which merged with the Huntercombe Group last Christmas Eve, confirmed a young patient tragically passed away at the John Radcliffe hospital on Monday, February 14 but did not provide further details.

READ MORE: M4 road closures and diversions affecting Berkshire drivers this weekend

They said: “A full investigation into the circumstances leading up to this tragedy has been launched and we will cooperate with any other investigations. Expert psychological support is being provided to individual patients and staff on the ward. Our sincere condolences go to all those affected.”

The petition has now closed.