Drugs probably contributed to death, doctor tells inquest (From The Northern Echo)

Drugs probably contributed to death, doctor tells inquest

9:17am Tuesday 9th February 2010 in

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THE cocktail of drugs given to a man with inoperable throat cancer probably contributed to his death, an inquest was told yesterday.

Dr Peter Robson, a consultant in palliative care, said that on the balance of probabilities, morphine, stronger painkiller diamorphine and an anti-psychotic drug would have “materially contributed”

to the death in 2004 of Harry Gittins, 74, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

Dr Robson said that Mr Gittins’ cancer was incurable, but that he had undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy in an attempt to prolong his life, treatment he would not have had if the disease was expected to kill him imminently.

Mr Gittins was a patient of Dr Howard Martin, a partner in the Jubilee Medical Group, who was cleared in 2005 of murdering him and two other patients – Frank Moss, 59, of Eldon, near Bishop Auckland, and Stanley Weldon, 74, of Newton Aycliffe – who all received injections shortly before they died.

Coroner Andrew Tweddle had decided not to hold full inquests, but Mr Moss’s daughter, Allison, appealed to the High Court. Following a judicial review, he was told to hold an inquest into Mr Moss’ death, and decided to hold an inquest into all three deaths.

Mr Gittins was on a daily dose of 90mg of morphine, taken orally, and Dr Martin decided on a home visit to give him an injection of 60mg as well as doses totalling 300mg of the anti-psychotic drug and of diamorphine.

He described the doses as a “big step up” and that normally patients would be given much smaller doses of the drugs, with their effects observed.

Dr Robson said he would not use such large doses of drugs because of the fear that they would cause death.

He said: “No matter how you dress it up, these look like execessive doses of drugs.”

Dr Robson also said the doses of morphine given to Mr Weldon, who had a dementia, and Mr Moss, who had lung cancer, were high, particularly because neither patient had taken opiates before and had not developed a tolerance to them.

Mr Weldon was very close to death, and was suffering from the “death rattle” when he was given a 60mg injection.

Mr Moss was sitting up on his bed and was changing a plug when Dr Martin called, Dr Robson said.

He had breathing problems and was in some distress, but was not near death.

He had three injections, receiving 120mg to 180mg in a few hours. Dr Robson said: “That is a very high amount of morphine for someone who had never used it before and was already ill. Such a high dose could only be a contributory, if not determining factor, in his death.”

Mr Moss’ daughter, Allison, is due to give evidence to the inquest today.