ARTICLE BY: Kathryn Stitt.
In June 2018, an independent panel concluded that more than 450 patients died in the 1990s after being prescribed dangerous doses of powerful painkillers. It also raised questions over whether a further 200 people had suffered at the hands of Gosport War Memorial healthcare professionals. The scandal surrounds Dr Jane Barton, who over-prescribed opiates to elderly patients. Until now, no criminal charges have been brought against Dr Jane Barton however opinion is starting to change.
Tonight on Panorama: Killed in Hospital, former Assistant Chief Constable Steve Watts says he thinks the evidence is ‘strong enough now, I think it was strong enough then, and I think there was an overriding public interest in doing so’ to bring charges of manslaughter and murder in relation to Dr Jane Barton and associated nurses who administered the drugs.
Previously, Dr Jane Barton has been found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the General Medical Council however she was not struck off. She retired soon after this.
The report published in June 2018 stated there had been a ‘disregard for human life’ and Dr Jane Barton’s actions were part of an ‘institutionalised regime’ which was not clinically justified. In the meantime, Dr Jane Barton (also know known as ‘Dr Opiate’) has continually denied the allegations and protests the consultants in charge knew what she was doing.
Here at Oakwood Solicitors, we are thankful these heartbreaking incidents are finally being given the publicity they require to encourage criminal proceedings to be brought. However, these incidents should not have occurred in the first place.
This scandal has also led to planned changes in how NHS whistleblowers are treated. If you have concerns regarding your Employment, click here.
If you, or a loved one, have been let down by the medical profession and suffered an injury as a result, please do not hesitate to contact Oakwood Solicitors for some free, confidential advice to see if you can make a claim for Medical Negligence.
For further information, watch Panorama: Killed in Hospital on BBC One on Monday 21 January, at 20:30 GMT.
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