The public inquiry into the crimes of British serial killer Dr Harold Shipman (55) opens today.
Relatives of victims of the family doctor from Hyde, Greater Manchester, won the right for a public hearing into Dr Shipman's career after a long legal battle.
High Court judge Dame Janet Smith will begin the investigation into the deaths of at least 466 people. Her inquiry is expected to last two years.
But an interim report expected by the end of this year could reveal the true death toll caused by the GP, now serving life for the murders of 15 elderly female patients he killed by heroin injection.
The first phase of the inquiry will examine Dr Shipman's career from 1974, when he started practising in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, to the time of his arrest in 1998.
Dame Janet has said the number of 466 could increase but noted that figure should not be seen yet as an estimate of the number of Dr Shipman's victims.
"I anticipate there will be many cases in which I will be able to say there is no cause for suspicion," she said. "However, it will not be possible in every case for me to say one way or the other."
The second phase of the inquiry next year will examine how Dr Shipman was able to continue killing for so long undetected and the roles played by the different authorities.
A third phase will look at possible changes in procedures through a series of seminars before the judge issues her final report, expected in spring 2003.
PA