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Medical masterminds join Shipman probe thinktank

6/ 1/2003

MEDICAL masterminds from as far afield as North America are to join up with a series of thinktanks aimed at stopping another Harold Shipman.

The Shipman Inquiry is due to run a series of seminars from next week, which look at how best to deal with security situations following a patient death.

The groups will look at scenarios including preliminary observations at the scene of death and certification, process of identifying cases which require further investigation, how a coroner can work alongside police, and the role of post mortems, among others.

Each seminar will include the thoughts of several high-ranking medical personnel.

Two medical masterminds come from North America - Dr David Fowler MD, the acting chief medical examiner of Baltimore, USA; and from Canada, Ontario's chief coroner Dr James Young.

The Shipman Inquiry has also utilised Commander Andre Baker of London's Metropolitan Police force, alongside Prof Richard Baker OBE - who produced an audit into Shipman's career which identified 245 suspicious deaths in January 2001.

The Shipman Inquiry reported last year that 215 patients of the former Hyde GP died in suspicious circumstances. The probe adds that a further 83 patients were possible victims.

Harold Shipman is serving life in Frankland Prison, Durham, after being convicted of murdering 15 patients at trial in 2000.