Police are investigating claims that hospital records may have been altered at an NHS trust where three mental health patients died within nine months.
The investigation was launched after a coroner raised concerns that safeguarding logs “may have been edited” after the death of a 17-year-old boy at Prestwich hospital in Greater Manchester.
The police investigation emerged on Monday at what was due to be the opening of an inquest into the death of the teenager, Charlie Millers, who was found dead in his room at the hospital on 2 December 2020.
Millers, who had a history of self-harm, was one of three patients to die within nine months under the care of Greater Manchester mental health NHS foundation trust, which has been placed under “special measures” by NHS England.
Adjourning the inquest at Rochdale coroner’s court on Monday, the senior coroner Joanne Kearsley said questions had been raised about whether hospital records “might have been altered” since Millers death.
Detective Supt Lewis Hughes, of Greater Manchester police, confirmed to the court that he had been asked to review the force’s original investigation and to examine whether documents “may have been edited”.
Hughes said hospital staff may need to be interviewed under caution as part of the investigation. He said it would also examine the role of senior management at the facility.
The inquest was adjourned until December after the detective said the investigation could take up to six months.
The documents being examined by police are understood to be Datix logs, which record incidents reported by NHS employees where the safety of staff or patients has been put at risk.
The charity Inquest, which is supporting Millers’ family, described the new evidence as “deeply concerning”.
Jodie Anderson, a senior caseworker at the charity, said: “Not only do medical professionals and NHS trusts have a duty of care to their patients, they also have a duty to cooperate with investigations into their deaths. Yet too often we see a culture of delay, denial and obfuscation at inquests which frustrates justice and delay vital change.
“This family have waited years for answers, and now face yet more delay as deeply concerning evidence has come to light. We hope this investigation will enable a full and thorough examination of the care Charlie received and will progress with urgency.”
Sam Millers, Charlie’s mother, added: “We have waited over two years to get answers over Charlie’s death and yet still new and important evidence is being unearthed causing further delays to the process. As Charlie’s mum is it very difficult to get to this stage and face the prospect of another long delay. Greater Manchester police need to take this issue very seriously to ensure we get justice and accountability for Charlie, and that other young people are kept safe.”
Greater Manchester mental health NHS foundation trust, whose chair resigned two months ago, is facing the highest level of NHS England intervention after a BBC Panorama documentary uncovered a “toxic culture of humiliation, verbal abuse and bullying” at the Prestwich hospital last year.
A spokesperson for the trust said: “We will continue to cooperate fully with the inquest process, and any further investigation by Greater Manchester police.”
