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Gosport hospital deaths: Police action urged over drugs scandal Gosport hospital deaths: Drugs scandal 'may be happening elsewhere'
(about 3 hours later)
Pressure is growing on police to take action quickly over the deaths of hundreds of patients. An expert on hospital mortality data has said scandals such as the deaths at Gosport War Memorial Hospital could be being replicated elsewhere in the NHS.
An independent panel found more than 450 people's lives were shortened after they were given powerful painkillers at Gosport War Memorial Hospital. Prof Sir Brian Jarman told the Today Programme he thinks "it is likely" similar situations are happening in other hospitals.
Hampshire Constabulary previously conducted three separate inquiries, but no prosecutions were ever brought. An inquiry found doctors at the hospital gave patients "dangerous" amounts of powerful painkillers.
Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney said the panel had sight of information "not previously seen" by the force. More than 450 older patients' lives were shortened as a result.
Following the release of the report, relatives of elderly patients who died at the hospital branded the findings "chilling" and called for criminal prosecutions to be brought. Sir Brian, who is the head of the Dr Foster Unit at Imperial College London, said information on mortality rates was not properly assessed by health officials across the NHS.
In a statement Ms Pinkney said: "It is important that a process is put in place to ensure that all of the relevant agencies come together, to enable decisions about next steps to be made in a way that is well considered and transparent to all of the families." He said he had experienced difficulty communicating concerns about mortality rates to the Department of Health.
The Gosport Independent Panel, led by the former bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev James Jones, found that whistleblowers and families were ignored as they attempted to raise concerns about the administration of medication at the hospital. "There really is a desire not to know," he said, adding that NHS whistleblowers were still being "fired, gagged and blacklisted".
In response, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the "blame culture" in the NHS has to change.
"If you are a doctor or a nurse and you see something going wrong - even if you are perhaps responsible for a mistake yourself - the most important thing, the thing that families want if they are bereaved or if they have a tragedy, is to know that the NHS isn't going to make that mistake again," he said.
"We make it much too hard for doctors and nurses to do that - they are worried that there will be litigation, they will go up in front of the GMC or NMC, the reputation of their unit - in some places they are worried they might get fired, so we do have to tackle that blame culture and turn that into a learning culture."
He was "confident" that procedures and checks were now in place to ensure similar problems - linked to high mortality rates - were identified quickly.
The Gosport Independent Panel, led by the former bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev James Jones, found whistleblowers and families were ignored as they attempted to raise concerns about the administration of medication at the hospital.
It also said, taking into account missing records, a further 200 patients may have suffered a similar fate.It also said, taking into account missing records, a further 200 patients may have suffered a similar fate.
Following the release of the report, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told MPs: "The police, working with the CPS and clinicians as necessary, will now carefully examine the new material in the report before determining their next steps and in particular whether criminal charges should now be brought." People in Gosport have been left shocked by the report's findings.
He said any further investigations should be carried out by organisations not involved in previous probes, suggesting that Hampshire Constabulary should bring in another force. "I've actually got an appointment at the hospital later and since hearing about the report it's definitely given me some concerns," said Debbie Clark.
Speaking on BBC Two's Newsnight, chairman of the NHS Confederation Stephen Dorrell said the health service needed to learn from its mistakes. "It's just disgusting, absolutely horrifying that something like that could have happened to so many people.
"I think everyone will feel worried if the worst were to happen and people won't want to go there. I definitely think it's playing to people's fears but the relatives who have kept fighting are amazing."
Speaking on BBC Two's Newsnight on Wednesday, chairman of the NHS Confederation Stephen Dorrell said the health service needed to learn from its mistakes.
He said: "The truth is, the system failed. We need to turn round, face that fact and ask ourselves what we can do to ensure we minimise the risk of it happening again."He said: "The truth is, the system failed. We need to turn round, face that fact and ask ourselves what we can do to ensure we minimise the risk of it happening again."
Mr Hunt said the panel had identified a "catalogue of failings" by the authorities and apologised to the families who lost loved ones in the scandal.Mr Hunt said the panel had identified a "catalogue of failings" by the authorities and apologised to the families who lost loved ones in the scandal.
Relatives are calling for a criminal inquiry into the actions at the hospital.
Pressure is also growing on police to take action quickly over the deaths of hundreds of patients.
Hampshire Constabulary previously conducted three separate inquiries, but no prosecutions were ever brought.
Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney said the panel had sight of information "not previously seen" by the force.
In a statement she said: "It is important that a process is put in place to ensure that all of the relevant agencies come together, to enable decisions about next steps to be made in a way that is well considered and transparent to all of the families."
The report found there was a "disregard for human life" of a large number of patients from 1989 to 2000.The report found there was a "disregard for human life" of a large number of patients from 1989 to 2000.
It said Dr Jane Barton oversaw the practice of prescribing on the wards.It said Dr Jane Barton oversaw the practice of prescribing on the wards.
Dr Barton, was found guilty of failings in her care of 12 patients at Gosport between 1996 and 1999.Dr Barton, was found guilty of failings in her care of 12 patients at Gosport between 1996 and 1999.
But no prosecutions were brought and she was not struck off the medical register, choosing to retire after the findings.But no prosecutions were brought and she was not struck off the medical register, choosing to retire after the findings.