Nurse released after saline deaths arrest wants to return to work

Rebecca Leighton was freed from prison after charges against her over deaths at Stepping Hill hospital were dropped The nurse who was released after six weeks on remand accused of contaminating saline at a Cheshire hospital, leading to the deaths of three patients, has indicated that she wants to return to work. Rebecca Leighton was released from Styal prison on Friday after all the charges against her were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service . The 27-year-old was arrested in July after unexplained deaths at Stepping Hill hospital, in Stockport, and was charged in connection with contaminating bags of saline with insulin and criminal damage with intent to endanger life. She has always denied any wrongdoing. Leighton said she had been in a “living hell” after she being locked up for something she had not done. The investigation centred on bags of saline solution that were sabotaged with insulin and initially focused on five deaths, but police later said the deaths of two of those patients – Vera Pearson, 84, and George Keep, also 84, both from Cheadle – were no longer part of their inquiry. They are still examining the suspicious deaths of Tracey Arden, 44, 71-year-old Arnold Lancaster and Alfred Weaver, 83, who all died at Stepping Hill. Greater Manchester police were called after an experienced nurse noticed a sudden and inexplicable drop in patients’ blood sugar levels on two interconnected wards. Leighton remains suspended from practising after an interim order by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and has vowed to clear her name. Her solicitor, Carl Richmond, said his client, from the Heaviley area of Stockport, was prepared to do whatever it took to prove her innocence. He said: “She wants the opportunity to have her suspension lifted and then she will make the decision what to do next. “She has worked as a nurse for a long time, so that’s obviously in her thoughts, but she’s still a bit raw. She wants to clear her name professionally, and that’s her priority at the moment.” Asked whether Leighton would return to work at Stepping Hill, Richmond said: “I don’t know if she would or wouldn’t. It might be too difficult. “The finger of suspicion was firmly pointed at her, and you don’t recover from that quickly. She needs to clear her head and decide what’s best for her in the long term.” Richmond said he believed his client had been made a scapegoat by police, who are investigating the deaths of seven patients – and potentially 40 in total – connected with sabotaged saline drips. He said: “They jumped the gun and tried to build the case against her from there, rather than the usual method of bailing her pending further inquiries.” Greater Manchester police’s assistant chief constable, Terry Sweeney, said the force would leave no stone unturned in the search for the person responsible for the contamination. He said the investigation was complex and officers needed to speak to 700 people – patients, staff and visitors. Crime Nursing Health Helen Carter guardian.co.uk

Posted by on September 5, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.