Hospital death victims named

George Keep, 84, from Cheadle, and Arnold Lancaster, 71, of Romiley, Stockport, died following deliberate interference with saline solution at Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

Detectives are also looking at the death of Tracey Arden, 44, a multiple sclerosis patient whose funeral scheduled for today has been postponed because of the ongoing inquiry.

Insulin was found in a batch of 36 saline ampoules in a storeroom close to ward A1 after a nurse reported on Tuesday she had found a higher than normal number of patients with unexplained low blood sugar levels.

Detectives believe the insulin was deliberately injected into the saline which was used by at least two wards but emphasise the three deaths remain unexplained as they await post-mortem examination results.

Greater Manchester Police’s major incident team is focusing its investigation from July 7 onwards but will review previous deaths at the hospital if new information comes to light.

Ms Arden died on July 7, Mr Keep died on Thursday after being admitted on June 27, and Mr Lancaster passed away on Monday.

In a statement, Mr Keep’s family said: “George had in his younger years been a hard-working Cheadle/Gatley man who was enjoying his retirement with family and friends in spite of his failing health.

“He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He will be greatly missed.”

South Manchester Coroner John Pollard is due to open inquests on all three next week. All future deaths at the hospital that show any signs of relevant symptoms will be passed to Mr Pollard for the foreseeable future and may be referred to detectives to investigate.

Police are continuing to interview doctors, nurses, porters, patients and visitors, while security remains high in and around the hospital. Officers refused to comment on suggestions the contamination could have taken place outside the hospital.

Eleven people who survived the effects of the tampered medication will also be interviewed.

Ms Arden, of Heaviley, Stockport, a grandmother and mother of two, was admitted from her care home for routine drug treatment for her long-term multiple sclerosis.

Her parents Keith and June visited her in the afternoon but were later called back by the hospital to say she had “taken a turn for the worse”.

Ms Arden’s brother Gary said: “During the afternoon my mother and father had been to visit her, then they left her looking like she was recovering well.

“Colour was coming back into her cheeks and so on, she was responding well to her treatment.

“They left and then a relatively short while afterwards they received a call from the hospital that Tracey had taken a turn for the worse and they think they should come on and see her. By the time my mother and father arrived she had just passed away.”