Manchester police identify four more saline poisoning cases

Detectives at Stepping Hill hospital are investigating deaths of three patients who were given saline contaminated with insulin Police investigating the contamination of saline at Stepping Hill Hospital believe four more people were poisoned. Following the release of nurse Rebecca Leighton, Greater Manchester police said they were looking at around 40 potential victims who may have been harmed by the contaminated solution. It is understood they now believe that seven within that pool were poisoned – including Tracey Arden, 44, Arnold Lancaster, 71, and Alfred Derek Weaver, 83. Fifteen of those potential victims have been eliminated from the inquiry, while the cases of 20 others are still being assessed. Sources confirmed that a “Cracker”-style criminal profiler was brought in by police to help identify the mystery poisoner. The forensic clinical psychologist, who has assisted various police forces in several recent high-profile murder cases, was called in at the beginning of the major inquiry into who sabotaged saline at the Stockport hospital. He is not currently part of the investigation but initially aided detectives in drawing up the likely background of the saboteur. A police source said: “He was brought in at the early stages of the investigation and helped draw up a profile of the perpetrator. “He is currently not helping with our inquiries.” The source did not disclose how useful that information was or whether it played any role in the detention of Miss Leighton. Miss Leighton has spoken of her horror at being dubbed an “angel of death” and “killer nurse” by newspapers. She said she was “passionate” about her job and wanted to return to a “normal life” after charges that she tampered with saline solution with intent to endanger life were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) earlier this month. The 27-year-old spent more than six weeks in custody but was freed on 2 September after proceedings against her were discontinued due to insufficient evidence. Last week she was cleared to return to work by the Nursing and Midwifery Council – subject to conditions, despite hearing claims that she had admitted to the theft of opiate-based drugs. But she remains suspended on full pay by Stepping Hill while inquiries continue into allegations that she stole medication. A spokeswoman for Stepping Hill said: “The internal review of Rebecca’s case has begun and will proceed in the normal way. “These investigations can take some time to complete. We cannot be more definitive in terms of timings at this stage.” Detectives are continuing to look at the suspicious deaths of patients Arden, Lancaster and Weaver. All three were unlawfully administered insulin but it has not yet been established whether that was a significant contributing factor to their deaths, police say. The alarm was first raised by hospital staff on 12 July when a higher than normal number of patients were reported to have “unexplained” low blood sugar levels amid fears that saline solution had been contaminated with insulin. Heightened security measures remain in place at Stepping Hill and will continue for the foreseeable future. No one is allowed to administer intravenous drips alone and all keys to medicine cabinets have to be signed for. Manchester NHS Health Nursing guardian.co.uk

Posted by on September 22, 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.