Drugs 'hastened patient's death'

10 April 2013 Last updated at 16:13 ET

Drugs given to a 91-year-old woman who died at a Hampshire hospital were "very likely" to have hastened her death, a medical expert has told an inquest.

Gladys Richards was admitted to Gosport War Memorial Hospital (GWMH) in August 1998.

She was there to recuperate after a hip operation following a fall.

Prof Robin Ferner said the amount of painkillers and sedatives given to Mrs Richards would normally only be given to someone who was dying.

She died five days later, having been given diamorphine and sedatives on a continuous basis.

Inquests into 10 other deaths at the hospital in 2009 found that drugs were a contributory factor in some cases.

Mrs Richards' daughters Gillian Mackenzie and Lesley O'Brien have campaigned for several years for a full inquest.

Prof Ferner, who has more than 30 years experience, was asked by Mrs Richard's family to put together a report.

He told the hearing there was nothing in Mrs Richards' notes to show why the amount of pain relief had effectively been doubled on 18 August 1998 - at a time when she was already asleep or possibly unconscious.

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Drugs 'hastened patient's death'