Stepping Hill Hospital Deaths Are 'Criminal Act', Trust Chief Says

Stepping Hill Hospital Deaths Are 'Criminal Act'

PRESS ASSOCIATION -- The boss of a hospital where the deaths of three patients are under police investigation has said: "This is a criminal act."

Chris Burke, chief executive of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, told a press conference at Stepping Hill Hospital that "malicious intent" was behind the deaths, as a fourth patient was revealed as being critically ill.

The patient, a man in his 40s, now forms part of the huge police investigation at the hospital.

But officers ruled out any quick arrests and described their work as a "complex investigation" with 60 detectives focusing on people who either work at or visit the site in Stockport.

And police said they could not rule out the person responsible still being at the hospital.

Mr Burke said: "Our staff are shocked, horrified and angry at what's happened. They are alarmed that a place that should be for care has become a crime scene.

"This is a criminal act, perpetrated by someone with malicious intent. We do not believe it could have been anticipated. This is a bad person doing a malevolent thing. This is about someone wanting to inflict harm, pain and, possibly further, as a deliberate malicious act. That is nothing to do with care."

The unexplained deaths of Tracey Arden, 44, George Keep, 84, and Arnold Lancaster, 71, who all died at the hospital in Stockport, are already part of the police investigation. They are being linked to the deliberate contamination of saline solution. Insulin was found in a batch of 36 saline ampoules in a storeroom close to ward A1 of the hospital.

Detectives believe the insulin was deliberately injected into the saline containers which were used in drips by at least two wards, but they say the three deaths remain unexplained as they await post-mortem examination results.

Inquests into the deaths of Ms Arden, Mr Lancaster and Mr Keep were briefly opened by South Manchester Coroner John Pollard. They were adjourned until a later date at the request of Superintendent Julian Ross, of Greater Manchester Police, who is leading the inquiry into the deaths. No family members attended the hearing at Stockport Coroner's Court.

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