A Dose of Medical News #3.1.2 - Inquest Into Patients' Death in Hampshire Suggest Morphine Overdose

Five patients who died at a hospital in Hampshire in the late 1990s were prescribed too much medication, an inquest jury has ruled.

Three of those patients were given inappropriate medication, the inquest at Portsmouth Coroner's Court found.

The inquest panel of five women and three men looked at the deaths of 10 patients at the Gosport War Memorial Hospital between 1996 and 1999.

The patients' families are now calling for a criminal investigation.

Some of the relatives had long believed morphine was being over-prescribed.

One wait for the outcome of the inquest as it will have a big impact in medical practice in the UK especially in the thinking behind 'Do Not Resuscitate' decision and the notion of 'dying with dignity'. The population are getting more elderly and similar inquest is just a matter of time. Hopefully there will be ground rules laid out for doctor's future action in this grey area.