Investigation under fire (From Warrington Guardian)

Investigation under fire

THE family of jailed nurse Barbara Salisbury have said they have 'serious concerns' about a new investigation at Leighton Hospital.

The probe by the Healthcare Commission will look at the practices that were in place during 1999 and 2002 when Salisbury tried to murder two elderly patients.

Formerly of Shavington, Salisbury was jailed for five years for trying to kill her victims by injecting them with lethal doses of painkillers in a ruthless efficiency drive to free up hospital beds.

The inquiry will attempt to establish whether the trust now has adequate arrangements in place to protect patients.

But a spokesman for Salisbury's family said that though they welcomed the investigation they had serious concerns about the way it was being put together.

He said: "Why is the investigation team to be made up of 75% of hospital staff? Surely this cannot be seen to be open or fair if the majority have a vested interest.

"Will all the senior nurses who gave evidence at the trial be included in and questioned by the investigation - as we understand they may not.

"At the time of the investigation we feel the relatives of the deceased patients were still grieving and vulnerable.

"For this reason the family are not satisfied that the questions put to the relatives were such as to fully ascertain their views on the care given by Barbara Salisbury.

"Now that they have had time to consider and reflect, will the Healthcare Commission team be questioning them on this again?

"The family understands that consultants Dr Max Winson and Dr John McKay - the two senior physicians in the department - are not on the investigation team. Why?

Salisbury was convicted of trying to kill 88-year-old May Taylor of Crewe and Frank Owen, aged 92, of Nantwich, following a seven-week trial at Chester Crown Court last summer.

She was cleared of the attempted murder of Reuben Thompson, aged 76, from Crewe, and James Byrne, 76, of Davenham.