Detectives investigating three hospital deaths are to interview 11 patients who survived the effects of tampered medication in a bid for clues to find the poisoner.
A 44-year-old woman, named locally as Tracey Elizabeth Arden, a 71-year-old man and a
84-year-old man died following the deliberate contamination of saline solution at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, Greater Manchester.
Insulin was found in a batch of 36 saline ampoules in a hospital storeroom close to Ward A1 after a nurse reported a higher than normal number of patients on her ward with unexplained low blood sugar levels.
The alarm was raised on Tuesday but multiple sclerosis sufferer Ms Arden, from Stockport, died on July 7th. The two male victims, who both had serious health problems, died this week.
Greater Manchester Police's Major Incident Team is currently focusing its investigation from July 7th onwards but will review previous deaths at the hospital if new information comes to light.
Meanwhile, increased security measures have been put in place at the hospital to protect
patients currently receiving treatment there.
Detectives believe the insulin was deliberately injected into the saline containers which were
used by at least two wards but they say the deaths remain unexplained as they await
post-mortem results.
A police source said: "We are no longer treating the tampered medication as a sole
contaminated batch because we cannot be sure that this was the only incident of its kind.
"We will be interviewing all those who became ill from the contaminated saline to find out if
they can shed any light on who is responsible."
One of the 11 surviving patients became very ill from her saline drip and has since recovered but the others were not thought to be
seriously affected.
Security patrols have been stepped up as police methodically work their way through the
hospital in interviewing doctors, nurses, porters, patients and visitors.
Police have suggested to the hospital that they put measures in place to individually search
everyone at the entrances.
PA