Bottle of milk ‘contaminated with bleach’ at saline deaths hospital

A BOTTLE of milk may have been contaminated with bleach at a hospital where police are investigating deaths linked to tampering of saline solution.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said officers were alerted by staff on Saturday to new allegations of tampering at Stepping Hill Hospital, Greater Manchester.

No-one was harmed as a result of the milk incident.

A spokesman said: “GMP are now investigating this incident but there is nothing at this stage to suggest this is in any way linked to the wider police inquiry currently ongoing at the hospital.

“Stepping Hill is made up of a large community of people and it is unlikely that every incident reported is connected to the concerted and deliberate criminality already being investigated.”

It is understood a small amount of the tainted milk was consumed by a patient after it was given by a member of staff. The patient was not harmed and police were called soon after.

A spokesman for the hospital said: “We can confirm that an incident relating to the possible contamination of a small quantity of milk took place.

“The police have been informed and the hospital is helping them with their inquiries.

“There was no lasting effect for the one patient who tasted a very small amount.”

Meanwhile, detectives investigating the tampering of saline solution at Stepping Hill Hospital said yesterday that four additional deaths referred to them have now been ruled out of their inquiries.

The cases were passed on to them by the coroner when it was announced that all charges in connection with the inquiry had been dropped against nurse Rebecca Leighton.

However, Greater Manchester Police said they are continuing to look at the suspicious deaths of Tracey Arden, 44, Arnold Lancaster, 71, and Alfred Derek Weaver, 83.

A spokesman for GMP said: “We can confirm that the deaths of Arnold Lancaster, Tracey Arden and Alfred Derek Weaver have undergone this same process of review and we can confirm these people have been unlawfully administered insulin.

“However, we have yet to establish if this has been a significant contributing factor to each of their deaths.

“A number of toxicology and other tests to try and establish causes of death are continuing and may take some weeks to complete.”

Two other patients at the hospital – George Keep and Vera Pearson, both aged 84 – were also linked to the inquiry but their deaths were earlier ruled out as not suspicious.

Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney said: “The decision to rule out the deaths of these six people will provide their families with some level of reassurance.

“They will now be able to continue grieving for their loved ones in the knowledge that they have not been taken from them in suspicious circumstances.

“I know relatives of the confirmed victims affected and the public in general will be anxious and want answers and we are working as quickly as we can without jeopardising the quality or integrity of the investigation.

“This is an exceptionally complex and difficult process and one that cannot be rushed or completed quickly.”