Nurse suspected of poisoning patients

A NURSE has been arrested on suspicion of deliberately poisoning stroke patients in a Lancashire hospital.

Police said the female staff member is being investigated for administering poison or noxious fluids with the intent to injure, as well as for ill treatment and wilful neglect of patients at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

It is understood that Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust contacted police on Nov 8 after a colleague of the nurse raised concerns to the management.

The nurse was suspended from her post and has been bailed until Dec 6.

It follows a report by the Care Quality Commission last year that raised concerns over the trust’s ability to safely handle medicine.

Detective Chief Inspector Jill Johnston, from Lancashire Police, said: “This arrest is part of an on-going investigation into allegations of mistreatment of patients by a healthcare professional at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. We have a team of specialist detectives working on this case.”

The hospital has been criticised for its heavy use of agency nurses due to a high number of staff vacancies. However, the nurse in question is understood to be a full-time member of staff.

Wendy Swift, chief executive of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We can confirm a healthcare professional has been suspended in line with trust policy following allegations of mistreatment against patients on the stroke unit.

“We take all allegations of this type extremely seriously and when the concerns were raised we immediately contacted the police.”