Criminal charges could be brought following “truly shocking” revelations that the lives of more than 450 people had been shortened by the prescribing and administering of opioids without medical justification.
An additional 200 patients were “probably” similarly affected between 1989 and 2000.
The inquiry, led by the former bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev James Jones, did not ascribe criminal or civil liability for the deaths.
He said: “The documents show that between February 1991 and January 1992 a number of nurses raised concerns about the prescribing specifically of diamorphine. Their warnings went unheeded, the opportunity to rectify the practice was lost, deaths resulted and 22 years later it became necessary to establish the Panel in order to discover the truth of what happened.”
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the Gosport Independent Panel had identified a “catalogue of failings” by the authorities and apologised to the families who lost loved ones in the scandal.
He 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.”
He said any further investigations should be carried out by organisations not involved in previous probes, suggesting that Hampshire Constabulary should bring in…
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