https://www.the" -dian'com/society/2005/aug/25lhealth'shipman UI( news I The Guat Q&A: Harold Shipman I smian Harold ShiPman Q&A: serial klller hanged prison where Britain s mosr protifrc A repart hns found that the the background of ,could iu n*utrr. n*uiaiiffi"*plains hrmserf not have prevented,t the case
Harotd ShiPman PhotograPh: /PA
Thu 25 Aug 2005 1019
was Harold ShiPman? public inquirY into Who serial killer. According to the ShiPman was Britaln's most Prolific Hewas Harold killed 254 of his his crimes, the having hanged The Id prison on January 132oo4, found dead cell at 15life sentences' 57-year-old was serving
the murder orrs elderlv crowr' court in ranuarv 2ooo of H'T*lf*#l*",lHJ*oJr.*"r e-p"tri. inqriiry was launched in June 2oo1to patients wirh lettrai;;;.,i"", or**irtin-.
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I OI 4 https://www.the'tdian.com/society/2005/aug/25lhealth'shipmar The Gua Q&A: Harold Shipman I !K news I and what could how they went undetected for so long, investigate the exte't of his crimes, tragedy' U. Ann* to preve'nt a repeat of the about his crimes? What do we know the#ha eveo,,o ofnf her 71st birthday while Lyons, was r.i[.d in March 1975 on^- His first victim, Eva practice in Todmorden. The *u, rh;ftr;i;o;*erod medical shiprnan *offi; ip*^n *** no ordinary respectabre Gp.In foltowing year rh; firlt drug perhidine by forgery ir*-*uu .onvicted"rrr*u.**rsiJ*iSt .,?;6i"irrg it * *qrphitt"-iike February 1976, i" thelrug. r,iter tl:at year, in tne na'm€ of a dying and deception ro suppry his addicti;; and to kill p*"piu' reeeiving psychiatric he obtainecl enougn rnorpNne f6o 'q'n-r of patient, ;; i" flVJ*' Ct*ater Mancheiter' His method drug treatment in York, hJre-emeO;J { ry heroin' He killed irueltion of diamorprri"* - pharmaceutical murder *ru .oouiui"rrt, a swift a single- in trru iown *a tnu renraiRder while patients wH*e aliirr* rior.rr.ur,inr.priJil* - rT1- were 71 Market street. The majority of his victirns handed practitioner at his su:geryin the oldest was 93-Year-old Anne Cooper and wCImen,.n*pur"* with ++ rn6n. The youngest 4t-year-old Peter Lewis'
medical practi.-1tu{ rorsing p{g:lip:io:', tire rodmorden the ff#f$*ry"?:lffilTifrf; nuv titea'J"eral Medical bouncit (GMC)' l:e received a heavy fine bur **, nolli".rt himto it sent him sriffwarni'g letrer and anowed reguratorybody foi doctors. tnste;, l patients who asked *r*t fin* this point any empiiVtr 9t carry on practising. This q**t By the late 199os' probably ooiituvu u**r, tord auout hii conviction' about shipman would professional. But in rr* ; a.dicared, caring his crirne was forgorten and *pp**ieJ;;;; were dying' at the.number of his patiettts who $gg, Hyde undef*takersbecarn-;ili;"us rate of shipman's medi.*r pru.ii* ai*.ou"t"d that the death and the neighbouring reported their concelns to the neady ro times"friglei ihan their own' iftt' parients was poiiie._nut_the police investigation coroner whoin firrn caleain ciiJer]nfanch"rt.t rocar irrctrrairri *tt.*tt.t.shipman had a criminal failed to carry out even the mostbrri..t..r.., on his fle. freither shipman himserf not Nor did they ask the GMC *ii"'** record. officers did ask the local health dead patients wele contactea' The relatives of the inconsistencies between the records 19 ,l;;;ased patie",r rotr"y authority to check-thi the medical adviser was ii;; ur"f a""tii o" tne aeattr certifrcate' But medical notes ,;a of forging documents - and "ut"*he was i""*dg*ti;;.h"g r ttiriory unaware that rhe doctor As a result the to his victi*r' ,.*tau io .oo*ihii tracks. shipman had added farse iilnesses of his and the Gp was free to kill three more investigation roun*Jno.u.ru* ror.on.*i" 1999' ;;iltffiurotu finally being arrested in February
A-36 2of4 -"dian'com/society/2005/aug/25lhealth'shipman https://www.the UK news I The Gua Q&A: Harold Shipman t to suPPort the and found that he had made Shipman's surgery victims' death ce causes of death he on his
he killhis murder' Some whv did to why Shipman turned to Various theories have been Put when he was 17. The more the death of his mother, who died suggest that he was avenging of easing theburdens old ladies with morPhine as a waY charitable view is that he injected God, proving that he t that he simply could not resist PIaYing on the NHS. Others sugges it. could take life as well as,save
ffi1HJffi,:ff ff Ji$'Jffi*,ilt:tytiy::**l*",1y?fl second part is examining deaths of Shipman's patients. the:t;3ffi ;'Jiil:lhllii' oart examined the individuar course of his medical to lJtntifv f i' t'i'*t Auting the ihe system, in pf".. n.iluif.a all deaths certified out a separ;;d;;,igationinto inquiry team is also carrying west caxeer.The at Pontefract General infirmary' shipman during his time."r probation by -"_iir"i"i?octor;parate inwesiigation by the prisons and yorkshire, betweei r97o and 1974' ; been that Shipmari's death "could not have ombudsman, Stephen ShaW .orr.t"aua predicted or Prevented"'
What are its findings? that ShiPman killed at least 215 d six The first concluded The has been saved if the Police that three victims could have third rePort found that had nts'deaths caus WAS death certiflcates sta natural r stringent controls on use
AS diamorPhine. criticised the General Medical reguladon and monitoring of GPs The f,fth rePort on the patients because it was too in its task of looking after Council (GMC) for failing PrimarY published in JanuarY 2oa5, . The sixth and flnal report, involved in Protecting doctors his murderous career 25o tients and maY have begUn concluded that ShiPman had kiiled Pa year of finishing his medical training at the age of 25, within a
:tl*:'i;lXLt:l-:i:H'*.3",11:r:1':t:t1t--:H*i,?1,11,1ffrares. These ;Jh:ffJ'Tl'ff1'- might include schemes *:;il;t Gps' parie"lauuirt considering p*oting ln ii** of dearh and wheiher othet ofdeath, # *a ruairo recording causes ""*rrprtie;i; iltstringent cantrols on the use and people were present" T\efourt! !;ild an f*r);;o Ji*orphine" tire fifth report recommends stockpiting or.orrt ottea drugs **[ protecting patients than ensure if is more ioe'sed on of the GMC's constitutionto members overhaul bo{I ir dominatua 6V its eleited medical doctors. lt proposus1il,h. ""T""ger ;;d ;;.,lib.?iru **y accounrabl e to p arliantent. journalism, driven bv in America* pubric rire. Guardian f*ilit$tffiffi3$3##r ofit**on at a time when tl're national fact-based reporting, offers ,r, rra.pt"It"i""ilu A-37
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