Inquests into the deaths of eleven elderly patients who died at Kingsway Hospital, Derby concluded today.
Deputy Coroner Sir Richard Rougier ruled that eleven patients died of natural causes on the Rowsley Ward at the Derby hospital.
Alexander Harris represents seven out of the eleven deceased who were aged between 67 and 92.
Chris Gawne of leading health law firm Alexander Harris who is representing the families said:
"The families were extremely concerned when staff on the Rowsley Ward raised allegations about treatment provided to patients. Understandably they wished for the allegations to be examined. The families are relieved that the inquests have now come to a conclusion and are confident that the causes of these patients' deaths have been properly and rigorously examined by the Deputy Coroner. The families can now take comfort in the fact that their loved ones died solely because they had reached the end of their natural lives. They can now start to put this difficult time behind them."
"Concerns have been raised by the Deputy Coroner about practices on the Rowsley ward and the way in which the ward was run. It is important that these concerns are now addressed by the Strategic Health Authority and the Department of Health so that other families do not have to go through the anxiety that these families have been through."
"This case has raised wider concern about the treatment of the elderly across the NHS. We are currently representing families whose relatives died under suspicious circumstances at two other hospitals in England, and we have received a number of calls from concerned relatives since the media highlighted the concerns in Derby."
Case Background
In 1997 nursing assistants raised concerns about the end of life care provided to patients on the Rowsley psycho-geriatric ward at the Kingsway Hospital, Derby.
The ward looked after elderly male patients with illnesses such as Dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Allegations were made that staff were deliberately starving and dehydrating patients.
A Police investigation was launched in 1997, which examined the deaths of a number of elderly patients on the Rowsley ward. Papers were sent to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in September 1999, who concluded that no charges should be brought. Subsequently, the cases were passed to the Coroner for Derby and South Derbyshire, Mr. Peter Ashworth.
The Coroner decided to hold Inquests into eleven of these deaths. Seven of the families instructed Alexander Harris, Inquest and Inquiry specialists, to represent them.
Notes to Editors:
All media enquiries should be directed in the first instance to the media management department at Alexander Harris solicitors on 08700 77 88 77.
-In 1998 the media reported that nursing assistants at Kingsway hospital raised concerns that elderly patients on the Rowsley psycho-geriatric ward were hastening patients to their death through the withdrawal of food and water, which weakened patients leaving them vulnerable to secondary conditions such as infections.
-In addition the media reported that the Police began their investigation in November 1997 into the deaths of more than 30 patients, examining patient records in the period 1993-1997.
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Thanks for bringing colour back into the darkness that threatened to overwhelm my life: Mr Ojelade, London
