Earls House

Earls House is managed by Tees Esk and Wear Valleys foundation trust, who also run St Luke's Hospital, Middlesbrough and West Park Hospital in Darlington.

Earls House began as a vocational residential school for the lesser academic children. It slowly developed into a learning disability hospital. By 1928, it became known as Earls house Sanatorium. It is spread over a very spacious site. The original red brick sections of the hospital are now used for administration. Many of the newer 'villas' which became used as the main housing for people with learning disabilities closed down in the 1990s when Care in the community was seen to be the only way at most costs. Most of the villas are now used by for administration and training. The hospital now also provides a small general outpatient facility which includes a dental clinic and a wheelchair and hearing aid service. There is also a large restaurant on the site.

Learning Disability Services
Three villas still provide learning disability inpatient care. (Of course most people with severe learning disability are now cared for in private homes). One of the villas is a respite care treatment centre, one a long stay residence and one for forensic learning disabilities. The hospital is also home to the regional behavioral support team for learning disability.

Old age Mental Health Services
The modern Bowes Lyon unit, provides 2 wards for the elderly organic and functional psychiatry and a day unit and clinic.

Two villas in the hospital are currently used for elderly people with severe challenging behaviors who cannot be placed in appropriate care homes.

Adult Mental Health Services
One of the villas has recently be converted into a small residential special care mental health unit, to replace part of the region's demolished Winterton hospital.

Shortly the County Hospital, Durham, will be relocated to this site and a new purpose built unit will be constructed to house the two adult psychiatric wards from the County Hospital and a further elderly psychiatric ward on a different site which was opened as an interim measure and is set to close.

Future Plans
The 28 million pound redevelopment of the site, which will also include the replacement of the villas.

The current Bowes Lyon Unit will remain however. Much of the Administration may go to St Luke's Hospital, Middlesbrough The new development is also anticipated to contain a physiotherapy department.