AN EASTBOURNE Woman Fight- Ing a Case of Alleged Medical Mal

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Gillian MacKenzie, Stephen Lloyd, Norman Lamb.MP, lawyer John White and the other people whose loved ones died at Gosport War Memorial Hospital, Ham pshire

AN EASTBOURNE woman fighting a case of alleged medical mal. by Annemarie Field the case on behalf of the Hampshire police enquiry commented that, "Dr practice in the death of her moth. Jane Barton prescribed the drugs Mr Lamb and the reasons why they cr has taken her case to Diamorphine, Haloperidol, Midazolam believe things had gone badly wrong in Parliament. the past at the Hampshire hospital. and Hyoscine for Mrs Gladys Richards Gillian MacKenzie, of Kings Drive, in a manner as to cause her death", and Eastbourne, presented her case to Mrs MacKenzie said, "I felt the meet- that "as a result of being given these ing with Norman Lamb was a really drugs, Mrs MacKenzie’s mother, Mrs Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of important milestone in what has been State for Health Norman Lamb MP. for me, at times, a long and lonely Richards, was unlawfully killed". She is one of a number of alleged vic- Stephen Lloyd said, "When Mrs struggle for justice. Ever since 1998 tim’s families taking action against when my mother died, I believe in sus- MacKenzie first came to me about six Gosport War Memorial Hospital. months ago it soon became clear that a Mrs MacKenzie wants a public picious circumstances, at the Gosport great injustice has been done to Mrs War Memorial Hospital, I and the other inquiry into the death of her mother MacKenzie’s mother and the parents families have been fighting for our case Gladys Richards in 1998 while she was and grandparents of the othor fa~lies, to be heard. My profound concerns at under the care of clinical assistant Jane what went on at the hospital demand so I was determined to do all that it Barton. takes to help them. Giving them an answers from the statutory bodies." In September the General Medical opportunity to meet with Norman Lamb Council found Dr Barton guilty of wide- Mrs MacKenzie, who has lived in and present their case is, I hope, a posi- Eastbourne for more than 20 years, has tive step toward righting this wrong." ly prescribing powerful painkillers and been campaigning for justice ever since sedatives to elderly residents at the she first raised concerns about the care Norman Lamb MP added, "This hospital over a number of years, includ- whole case is absolutely shocking. It ing to Gillian Mackenzie’s mother. The her mother was receiving at the hospital when she was admitted on August has dragged on for years, been passed GYIC said that Dr Barton’s actions were 11 1998, just ten days before she died. backwards and forwards from the GMC, the NHS, the police and the "inappropriate, hazardous and not in She said, "Whe~ my mother was the best interests of the patients". Crown Prosecution Service. At last in admitted to Gosport War Memorial The families say they want justice for March of this year the GMC held its Hospital, I soon noticed that the care their relatives. inquest - 11 years after Mrs MacKenzie offered to her was focused around The meeting was organised by the strong, morphine-based painkillers, first alerted the authorities - and have Liberal Democrat parliamentary candi- which I later discovered were totally found there is a case to answer for the date in Eastbourne Stephen Lloyd to doctor concerned, Dr Barton. I am ask- enable Mrs Mackenzie, other alleged unnecessary for my mother’s condition, and in my opinion brought on an unnec- ing that there be a public inquiry as a victims’ families affected and their matter of urgency and will be applying essarily early death." lawyer John White to put their case to as much pressure as I am able to ensure A medical expert who later reviewed this happens."

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