"That hospital was a death factory": Relatives of Gosport War Memorial Hospital victims continue search for answers
The Gosport War Memorial Hospital investigation has previously been branded ‘one of the biggest NHS scandals of our time’. An investigation was ordered by the Independent Office for Police Conduct in September 2021 into complaints of criminality against Hampshire Constabulary in the three investigations into the deaths at Gosport War Memorial Hospital. Between 1987 and 2001, hundreds of patients died whilst being in the care of the community hospital due to the ‘inappropriately high doses’ of opioids. The death of 91-year-old Gladys Richard sparked one of the most complex NHS investigations in history as she was the first patient believed to have died in the unfolding scandal. Gladys was admitted to the Gosport War Memorial Hospital to recover from a hip operation following a fall - but five days later she died due to the continuous administration of diamorphine. An investigation was launched in 1998 following the death of Gladys and family members of other patients have today said that the ‘dishonest’ conduct during the investigation led to the deaths of hundreds of others at the hospital.
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Hide AdRelatives have been battling for almost three decades for answers about what happened to their loved ones during their stay at the hospital and why they were given excess diamorphine. During a press conference today (August 6), the families divulged that they are patiently waiting for a confirmation from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary whether an inquiry into the initial 1998 investigation has taken place. With many family members of the victims now also being elderly, they have previously spoken of their concerns that they will also die before seeing justice for the relatives.
This comes following multiple complaints being submitted to the force regarding how the investigation was dealt with at the time with one relative, David Wilson, describing it as a ‘monumental conspiracy’.
Pam Byrne was at the press conference representing her step-father, Clifford Houghton. He was admitted to Gosport War Memorial Hospital in 2004 at the age of 71. He was taken to the hospital to give Pam’s mother some respite but he died six days after being admitted. Mr Houghton had suffered a stroke several years earlier and as a result, he heavily relied on Mrs Houghton on a day to day basis. The admission to the hospital was to give her a break. Pam has said that the initial investigation in 1998 could have prevented hundreds of deaths, including her father's.
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Hide AdPam said: “If the investigation had been carried out thoroughly as it should have been, my step-father wouldn’t have died - so many other deaths took place after that investigation because it was dishonestly conducted - so many more families have been grieving. “In my dad’s case, he had only gone in to give my mum some respite - but we got a call six days later saying he wasn’t going to last the weekend. “They stuck a diamorphine syringe driver in his neck.”
Since the first investigation into the death of Gladys there have been numerous reports and operations to try and uncover what happened to 700 patients who died during their time at the hospital.
The Gosport Independent Panel, which was published in 2018, investigated the deaths and it found that ‘continuous opioids started at inappropriately high doses’, ‘few patients survived long after starting continuous opioids’ and the ‘prescription and administration of drugs contravened guidelines’. The Independent Panel found that 456 patients died after being given opiates inappropriately between 1987 and 2001. Operation Magenta is the current police investigation, which is being managed by Kent Police, after it took over the case from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.
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Hide AdDeputy Chief Constable Neil Jerome of Operation Magenta said: “The independent investigation into deaths at Gosport War Memorial Hospital is one of the largest and most complex of its nature in the history of UK policing. Our team consists of serving and retired detectives who have so far assessed more than three million pages of documents including the medical records of over 750 patients, and taken witness statements from more than 1,150 individual family members. ‘”The families of those who died at the hospital were informed at the start of the investigation that the full range of criminal offences would be considered. The total number of suspects identified to date is 24, including 21 for alleged gross negligence manslaughter and three for alleged offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
“Interviews are being carried out under caution. There have been no arrests to date. “The investigation is ongoing and continues to make good progress. Whilst we have never provided anyone with an estimate of how long our enquiries will last, family members and the general public can be confident we are working as quickly and thoroughly as possible to ensure Operation Magenta is the decisive police investigation into what happened at Gosport.”
Pam said that she regularly visited her step-dad in the days leading up to his death and she said that he seemed fine - he continued to read his newspaper daily and was in good spirits. Mr Houghton served in the Royal Navy for 13 years from the age of 17 and he served as torpedo shooter.
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Hide AdPam added: “The culture in the hospital was horrendous, absolutely horrendous - it was cruel.
“To be honest, it makes Dr Shipman look like a humanitarian - to me it was a culture of cruelty.”
The family members should receive a ‘rationale’ from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary following complaints made.
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Hide AdA spokesperson for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said: “Having considered a Right to Review request, the IOPC made a direction that we should provide a full rationale to the families in relation to complaints made.
“Our Professional Standards Department have since been conducting a full and thorough investigative review of the available documentation and decisions made, in order to provide a more full explanation to them.
“As part of this, we have been providing regular updates on our progress.
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Hide Ad“While we were conducting this review, a man representing some of the families raised further issues with officers involved in completing this, which required further referral to the IOPC for their consideration and delaying the original matter.
“The IOPC ultimately dismissed these with no further action, at which stage we were able to fully resume the ongoing review.
“This work is ongoing and we will continue to provide updates to the family as we seek to provide them the full rationale.”
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