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| Police investigate patient deaths in Worcestershire | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A police investigation has been launched into the deaths of a number of patients who were under the care of a consultant surgeon. | A police investigation has been launched into the deaths of a number of patients who were under the care of a consultant surgeon. |
| Sudip Sarker worked as a consultant colorectal surgeon at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. | Sudip Sarker worked as a consultant colorectal surgeon at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. |
| West Mercia Police said it began the investigation after receiving a letter in December. | West Mercia Police said it began the investigation after receiving a letter in December. |
| It said the deaths of three patients, whose joint inquest was adjourned last year, formed part of the inquiry. | It said the deaths of three patients, whose joint inquest was adjourned last year, formed part of the inquiry. |
| Mr Sarker worked at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch from August 2011 but was suspended in October 2012. | |
| 'Complex matter' | |
| Supt Kevin Purcell, of West Mercia Police, said: "We were made aware that there were a number of concerns in relation to the deaths of patients in 2012 who had been under Mr Sarker's care. | Supt Kevin Purcell, of West Mercia Police, said: "We were made aware that there were a number of concerns in relation to the deaths of patients in 2012 who had been under Mr Sarker's care. |
| "We are in the early stages of obtaining the relevant information from hospitals and other health organisations in order to conduct our investigation." | "We are in the early stages of obtaining the relevant information from hospitals and other health organisations in order to conduct our investigation." |
| The trust said at the time of Mr Sarker's suspension that "a number of concerns" had been raised about him. | The trust said at the time of Mr Sarker's suspension that "a number of concerns" had been raised about him. |
| Mr Purcell said the families of the three patients who had died were being kept updated. | Mr Purcell said the families of the three patients who had died were being kept updated. |
| "This is a complex matter which will undoubtedly take a considerable amount of time to investigate thoroughly," he added. | |
| 'Swiftly and responsibly' | |
| Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said it had acted swiftly and responsibly to protect patients and was co-operating with the police investigation. | |
| "The trust would like to reassure patients and their relatives that as soon as it became aware there was a potential problem the trust acted swiftly and responsibly to protect its patients," it said in a statement. | "The trust would like to reassure patients and their relatives that as soon as it became aware there was a potential problem the trust acted swiftly and responsibly to protect its patients," it said in a statement. |
| It said a review of patients that had come into contact with Mr Sarker was taking place. | |
| It also said an inquiry line and dedicated email address had been set up for people to discuss any concerns about treatments. |