Police Force Rejects Corruption Allegations Regarding Patient Fatalities

The police agency responsible for examining patient fatalities at a controversial hospital has officially rejected allegations of corruption lodged by the relatives of the deceased. An earlier investigation determined that a minimum of 456 patients passed away at Gosport War Memorial Hospital from 1989 to 2000, having received potent painkillers improperly. Relatives of the victims had accused 16 police officers of corruption and dishonesty concerning the inquiries, none of which led to criminal charges. Nevertheless, the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary stated that the conduct of the officers was “acceptable”. An independent panel had previously characterized the standard of the police force’s three investigations, conducted between 1998 and 2010, as “consistently poor”. Despite this, Chief Inspector Matt Reeves, who heads the force’s complaints department, formally dismissed all 72 complaints from the families in a letter addressed to their representative, David Wilson. This correspondence, dated 10 October 2024, stated: “I have concluded that the service provided by the police was acceptable.” Ch Insp Reeves also declined the families’ request for misconduct proceedings against the officers, noting that the force had “drawn a line” on the matter in 2018. A separate police letter acknowledged that the initial investigation, conducted in 1998 under the leadership of Detective Constable Richard Maddison, was “not thorough”. This letter suggested that Det Con Maddison might have been “biased” against classifying the fatalities as criminal acts. Nevertheless, it asserted that these shortcomings did not impact senior officers or the choice not to pursue charges. Mr Wilson commented: “Bearing in mind that over 100 patients were killed after Det Con Maddison failed to complete a thorough investigation… any relative of those 100 patients would now appear to have some justification in asserting that Hampshire Constabulary contributed to the cause of death of those patients.” In 2018, the Gosport Independent Panel, chaired by Bishop James Jones, concluded that up to 650 patients likely died within an environment characterized by a “disregard for human life”. The panel’s report indicated that nurses formally expressed concerns in 1991 regarding the hospital’s administration of diamorphine and use of syringe drivers. Although Hampshire police initially dismissed the families’ complaints in 2020, regulatory bodies subsequently directed the force to conduct a fresh investigation. In a public statement, the force declared: “Following a Right to Review request, the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) made a direction that we should provide a more detailed rationale to the families in relation to our conclusions about the complaints made.” It continued: “Our Professional Standards Department has now completed that investigative review of the available documentation and decisions made.” The statement further noted: “The report into the specific complaints found no evidence or indication of any misconduct or criminal offences and the recommendation remains that no further action is required in relation to the complaints.” Nevertheless, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has previously acknowledged errors during its police investigations and has issued an apology to the families for these shortcomings. A new police inquiry, designated Operation Magenta, was initiated by the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate in 2019. To date, no charges have been filed, although Dr Jane Barton, responsible for prescribing on the hospital wards, was found guilty of serious professional misconduct by a tribunal in 2010. Mr Wilson, whose aunt Dulcie Middleton was among the deceased patients, indicated his intention to appeal the recent police findings to the IOPC.