Sabotage blamed for hospital deaths

Security has been stepped up at a hospital where three patients have died following the deliberate contamination of saline solution, police said.

The deaths of a 44-year-old woman and two men aged 71 and 84 at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport remain unexplained, while a further 11 patients have been affected but not seriously harmed.

However, police said it was clear that someone had been tampering with vials of saline and they needed to be caught.

Describing it as a "fast-moving investigation", Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney said: "We have someone deliberately contaminating saline in the one place that people should feel they are being most cared for.

"I want to reassure everyone connected to the hospital - staff, patients, visitors and the wider community - that we are determined to prevent further harm and to bring the offender to justice.

"We are working very closely with the hospital to improve the security of the patients and staff at the hospital."

As well as increased security patrols, he said he would also suggest to health trust bosses that anyone entering the hospital should be searched beforehand.

Mr Sweeney said it would be speculation to say the offender was a member of staff but he said all medical professionals at the hospital as well as patients would be spoken to in the next 24 hours.

The hospital contacted police on Tuesday after an experienced nurse reported a higher than normal number of patients on her ward with "unexplained" low blood sugar levels.

It concluded that some saline ampoules had been "interfered with" - with the contamination thought to have involved the use of insulin.

All future deaths at the hospital that show any signs of relevant symptoms will be passed to South Manchester Coroner John Pollard for the foreseeable future and may be referred to detectives to investigate..

The inquiry was currently focused on events of this week but a review of past deaths at the hospital could be reviewed if new information came to light, said Mr Sweeney.

Detectives are also working closely with NHS North West and the Health Protection Agency.

"This investigation is at a very early stage and we don't know what effect, if any, the solution has had to the wellbeing of any patients," he said.

"We have recovered a number of ampoules of solution and are working closely with the hospital to try and get to the bottom of what has happened.

"Understandably there is considerable concern within the hospital and the wider community about this. As such the coroner has asked that all deaths at the hospital that meet certain relevant criteria be referred to him in the immediate short term.

"The scope of this investigation is wide-ranging both in terms of the timescale of the contamination and the number of people we are speaking to. It is important that people are clear in their minds that, as things stand, we do not know for sure if the contaminated saline contributed to the deaths of these three people.

"It is a possibility we are looking at alongside the coroner, but we must stress that it will be extremely difficult to establish a link."

The 44-year-old woman and the 71-year-old man were terminally ill but not the 84-year-old man, police said.

A team of family liaison officers are providing support to all the families affected by the incident.

Mr Sweeney said the contamination was not restricted to a single ward but an inter-connected ward area.

A spokesman for Stockport NHS Foundation Trust said it had yet to formally receive a request from Greater Manchester Police to introduce security checks.

The trust's chief executive, Dr Chris Burke, said: "I want to use this opportunity to reassure our patients and the local community that their safety is our main concern.

"Stockport NHS Foundation Trust is continuing to work closely with Greater Manchester Police in an ongoing investigation.

"It was the staff at the hospital who brought this matter to our attention and I've asked them to continue to be extra vigilant to help safeguard patients.

"We have increased security both in terms of access to the hospital and access to medicines and already replaced all saline ampoules across the hospital.

"We are doing all we can to protect our patients and ensure their safety while under our care."