Healthcare professional arrested on suspicion of murdering stroke patient

A healthcare professional at Blackpool Teaching Hospital Foundation Trust has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a stroke patient.

Lancashire Police released a statement this evening which says the man has also been arrested on suspicion of two offences of rape and one offence of sexual assault. The suspect is currently in custody. He has also been suspended by the trust.

It comes after a police investigation was launched in November 2018 into allegations of mistreatment and neglect on the stroke unit at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

As part of the probe, a number of post-mortem examinations were conducted, including for Valerie Kneale, 75, from Blackpool, who died from a haemorrhage caused by a non-medical related internal injury.

Police said this led to a murder investigation, which is being treated separately to an ongoing investigation into allegations of poisoning and neglect on the stroke unit, in which a number of staff have previously been arrested.

Detective chief inspector Jill Johnston, of Lancashire Police, said: “We understand this will cause some significant concern in the community but please be reassured we have a dedicated team of officers conducting a number of enquiries."

“If you have any information or have worked on the stroke unit and can assist with our enquiries, please come forward and speak to police immediately.”

Read full story (paywalled)

Source: HSJ, 3 March 2021