Kent Police Progress in Gosport Hospital Deaths Investigation

Detectives conducting an extensive investigation into the deaths of hundreds of patients at Gosport War Memorial Hospital have identified 24 individuals as suspects. Originally prompted by an independent panel’s findings in 2018, which identified that 456 patients had died following opioid administration from 1987 to 2001, the investigation has now seen files shared with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for consideration of charges.

The ongoing investigation, named Operation Magenta and led by the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate, is one of the most significant and complex in UK history, according to Deputy Chief Constable Neil Jerome of Kent Police. “Our inquiries remain ongoing”, Jerome stated, “and we have now reached the stage where we have started to submit case files in relation to individual patients to the Crown Prosecution Service.”

Operation Magenta follows previous investigations by Hampshire Constabulary which did not lead to prosecutions. Of the 24 individuals identified, 21 are being investigated for alleged gross negligence manslaughter, while three face potential charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act. No arrests have been made yet, but interviews have been conducted under caution.

The revelations come after intense scrutiny and advocacy by affected families, who have long campaigned for justice. Emma Jones of Leigh Day Solicitors, representing many of the families, remarked, “Our clients have shown immense patience and fortitude while Operation Magenta has been ongoing.” Families of victims have previously pushed for further judicial inquiry, hoping to finally receive the answers they deserve.

Kent Police’s examination has involved reviewing over three million pages of documents, including the medical records of more than 750 patients, and collecting around 1,200 witness statements. The previous 2018 report criticized the hospital for maintaining an “institutionalized regime” for administering “dangerous medication doses” without clinical justification.

Dr. Jane Barton, who oversaw prescription practices at the hospital, had been disciplined in earlier investigations but was not removed from the medical register. She retired after being found guilty of care failings in relation to 12 patients. Barton’s past statement described her as “a hard-working doctor” striving to provide care “in a very inadequately resourced” NHS sector.

The families affected, including those of Gladys Richards, Arthur Cunningham, and Robert Wilson, have previously secured approvals for new inquests into their relatives’ deaths after earlier legal proceedings. The 2018 report compiled by the Gosport Independent Panel, led by former Bishop of Liverpool James Jones, concluded there was a “disregard for human life” affecting a significant number of patients.