Yesterday, news broke that a report has found that more than 450 patients died at Gosport War Memorial Hospital after being inappropriately given powerful opiate painkillers. Following a review of further missing records, it is suggested by an independent panel (commissioned in 2014) that a further 250 patients could have also died as a result.
About the Investigation
The former Bishop of Liverpool, James Jones, led the new review into the prescribing practices at the hospital. The panel was also made up of Investigative Journalist David Hencke, former Scotland Yard Commander Duncan Jarrett, Geriatric Medicine Specialist Dr Colin Currie, and Pathology and medical records expert Dr Bill Kirkup.
As part of their review, not only have the panel spoken to more than 100 families and scrutinised around 800 death certificates, but they’ve also studied documents from the police, the NHS, coroners and other organisations.
The focus of the panel’s investigation is most likely to be on who died whilst in the care of the hospital’s Department of Medicine for Elderly People. Whilst the total number of deaths has not been confirmed within their report, families with concerns of the treatment and deaths of relatives in the 1980s and early 2000s were urged to come forward.
The report states that there was an “institutionalised regime” of giving patients “dangerous” amounts of painkillers which had no “medical justification”.
The findings were due to be published in December 2018, but were postponed due to the sheer volume of people coming forward and sharing their concern over the deaths of their relatives.
It has been reported that nurses; Anita Tubbritt and Sylvia Griffin raised concerns about the prescribing practises at the hospital as early as February 1991, in addition to several other nurses raising concerns regarding the use of diamorphine up until 1992 and again once more in 1998.
Dr Jane Barton was in charge of prescribing painkillers over a period of 12 years at the Hampshire hospital. In 2010, a General Medical Council hearing found that she had given her patients “potentially hazardous” levels of drugs, who later sadly died, likely as a result.
Despite their findings, the Crown Prosecution Service has said there was not sufficient evidence for a prosecution on gross negligence manslaughter charges; trying to defend herself, Dr Barton said she was working under “unreasonable pressure” with an “excessive and increasing burden”.
In 2003, Professor Richard Baker compiled a report on the hospital, which was left unpublished for 10 years. The report could not directly identify the origin of the practice, however, it could not rule out that a small number of patients who died would have otherwise been discharged from hospital alive.
According to the report, “families were failed” whereby there was failure by authorities to recognise what had been going on and to “put it right”.
A campaign was launched by some of the affected families which led to inquests being conducted in respect of 10 patient’s death, which in some cases listed drugs as playing a contributory factor.
Even though the police have previously investigated the deaths of 92 of the patients, no prosecutions were ever made.
So, What Happens Next?
The Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, told the commons that it appeared Dr Barton was “principally responsible” but nurses, managers and senior consultants had been aware of or administered the powerful painkillers, which they should have known could cause deaths.
He also said that the government would release more of a response in the autumn when they’d had longer to analyse the report’s findings. The Crown Prosecution and police will now be taking a look at the evidence from the inquiry and will identify any charges.
Do You Need a Medical Negligence Solicitor?
Each and every year, millions of individuals in the UK will receive medical care, and thanks to the high standard of treatment provided by healthcare professionals, the instances of clinical negligence are low. However, in some cases, unfortunately mistakes can occur.
If you or a family member has been subject to some form of clinical negligence, then compensation is rightfully deserved.
If you believe you have suffered undue physical or mental injury due to medical care you have received, please contact our medical negligence solicitors at Howells today. Our clinical negligence compensation claims team has a proven track record of success and would be happy to assist.
