Gosport Hospital Scandal Analysis

This assignment delves into the tragic Gosport War Memorial Hospital scandal. It examines the circumstances surrounding the deaths of over 450 patients due to opioid drugs policy, highlighting key findings from the public inquiry. The analysis explores the organizational culture, systemic failings, and individual actions that contributed to this medical tragedy. Furthermore, it discusses the lessons learned from this case and the impact on healthcare practices.

PROJECT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report is regarding Dr Jane Barton of Gosport War memorial Hospital who have
given high dose of drugs to the elderly patients due to which 450 people died. In the first section,
explanation of ethics will be done and various incidents of malpractice of clinical practice will
also be discussed. In the second section, various aspects which was affected due to the incident
will be scrutinised and how it affect their performance in the market would be explain.
Conclusion will be drawn based on the above mentioned section and at last recommendation will
be provided to the Gosport Hospital for avoiding similar situation in future time period.

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
ANLAYSIS......................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
RECOMMDENATIONS.................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................10
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Ethics is an approach which spills out the moral principles which every has to adopt
while making and decision (Hawkes, 2018). In other words, it differentiate between good and
bad actions taken by every individual while living their lives. This report discussed about the
medical malpractice happens at the Gosport War Memorial Hospital in 1990s in which 456 elder
people have died due to heavy does of opioid drugs that resulted in mass death in period of time.
In 2009, General Practitioner Dr Jane Barton was convicted for the misshapen because she was
found guilty of professional misconduct but after it, she retired from hospitals and left her
practice of medical. Though no cases were file against her due to lack of evidence (more than
450 patients died due to opioid drugs policy, 2019) Apart from this, there are many incidents in
the past whose patients has seen the same incidence as in Greater Manchester, General
Practitioner Harold Shipman has allegedly killed 250 patients by injecting fatal dose of
diamorphoine to elderly people due to which people succumb to death (How a serial killer
changed medical practice forever, 2019). Other incident which catches eye in the industry is
Beverly Allitt who was working as a nurse in Grantham hospital and killed 4 people by injecting
insulin and large bubble in to the liver. She was suffering from Münchhausen syndrome by proxy
which urges people to kill more (Serial killer nurse Allitt must serve 30 years, 2019). Reputation
of an organisation is an essential factor of the success as if brand image in the market is negative
in nature then it will directly affect the revenue in a negative way i.e., revenue and profitability
would decrease to a certain level. As after the incident been highlighted in the industry and
market, number of patients footfall over a period of time is decreased due to which hospital
income and profitability reduced. In this report, various aspects will be done be scrutinised for
the case study by considering ethics of the hospital. At last, recommendation and conclusion
would be explained so that it would assist hospital to enhance their brand reputation in the
market.
Diagram given in Appendix 1

ANLAYSIS
To analyse the reputation which was affected by the case of the Gosport hospital, various
aspects would be considered while discussing the case which is as follows, Customers, Public
relation, Industry position and Board of directors. To what extent Gosport hospital image has
been damaged will be explained below by using relevant sources and data, Customers: Patients are considered as customers in the health care industry as if people
are coming to hospital to resolve disease which they have been suffering from then only
revenue would be generated in the hospitals. According to the report produced by GMC,
833 death certificates were signed by Dr Jane since 1988 to 2000 in which approximately
450 deaths of customer were due to high does of opioid drugs.
Diagram is given in Appendix 2
After such severe misshapen no patents would prefer to visits the hospital for their
treatment as their perceptions towards the hospitals has hampered in a negative way (Gosport
deaths, 2018). For instance, if any hospital has committed many killing of patients who have
visits them, then patients would become scare to visit it no matter what their health been. As
perception have been created in the mind of customers that if they visit then they will get killed
too. Ethical issues which has been generated in this aspect is why Dr. Jane were giving high does
of Opioid drugs if she knew that it could make the patients died. Due to malpractice of the
medical practices, hundreds of people were died. Last severe impact which created after
unethical practice is impression of Gosport Hospital in the mind of customers as number of
footfalls has reduced to a certain level. As relatives of those people who has died were marching
down on the road by holding banners against the hospital (Gosport Hospital doctors should face
criminal charges over scores of patient deaths, 2019).
 Public relation: Brand reputation plays an essential role in the success of enterprise as it
is directly linked with the revenue they generated in a year. In this case study, Gosport
Hospital reputation has been affected negatively as heavy media coverage was done to
identity the culprit of 450 murder in the hospital. Ethical issues which has been generated

is hospital management were trying to protect the image of the hospital in the market as
200 people were also killed in the Hampshire hospitals but all the reports related to the
scenario was concealed (Reputation management,rather than conspiracy, blamed for
Gosport failings, 2019). After the incident, various allegations were made on the
credibility and authenticity of the hospital as even after Mrs Richards daughter who
reports to the Hampshire police no actions were taken against them. Main reason due to
which Gosport hospital image was affected as they did not take any strict actions
regarding the high does of opioid event after knowing from the starting (Nurses were
'making patients comfortable', 2019). It is ethically wrong to hide the facts and figure
which could affect the reputations in negatively as truth has to be found out by the
persons who was affected by it. To resolve this bad impact of the incident, NHS could
have shared all the information which has occur in real so that public and local authority
can decide the culprit accordingly.
 Industry position of the hospital: Reputation of the hospital and customer perception
towards their clinical practices is directly proportionate with the position hospital stands
in the health care industry. After the incident went public in 2000s, hospital management
has faced severe criticism from the industry as it was named as Daedalus Ward or Dead
Loss due to 450 people who were died in the incident. For example: Gosport hospital is
engaging into several negative events such as informal regulation of treatment to take
effective decision making in order to solve major problems in given period of time (The
Gosport Horror: a Hospital in Name Only, 2019). Hence, it can be implied that their
image in the industry has deteriorated over a period of time which affects their
permanence in the market. For example: Image and reputation of the Gosport hospital has
been effected by an impact of non effective regulation such as charging additional funds,
improper treatment etc., which has impacts the business process for longer period of time.
Apart from this, it would be not possible for the management of hospitals to make their
available beds occupied as no customers wants to visit in the hospital. Besides this,
customer were happily ready to pay extra bucks for their treatment in the private hospital
instead of NHS runs property. So other competitors have take the benefit of it and start
marketing their hospitals so that Gosport Hospital patients would be attracted towards
them (Kewell and Beck, 2008). Along with this, NHS position have also been affected

negatively as they are the partner hospital with the Gosport and due to this, number of
customer coming to visit doctor for their treatment is also increasing gradually.
 Share price: Share price of any enterprise shows the real position of the company which
holds by them for a longer period of time (Godlee, 2018). If it is depreciating regularly
then it can said that hospital is not able to perform with their highest potential and
productivity as that's why shareholders trust over them is decreasing. On the other hand,
if it is increasing then it can be implied that shareholders which includes customers,
vendors, employees, government trust over them is enhancing due to higher performance
as compare to their potential (Thorns and et. al., 2019). In regards to Gosport hospital,
their share was not affected till 2000s as their management were trying to hide the
documents which has all the reports related to the people who have died in the incident.
But after it got public and catches attention from all over world, people were pulling off
their money by selling the shares in the market because shareholders knew that their
enterprise image has been affected badly. So it can be said that after 2009, Gosport war
hospital shares have reached their low price due to less shareholders interested in buying
their shares (Mannion and Davies, 2018). So ethical issues which arises from this factor
is if management has full information about Dr. Jane incident then why did not they file
any case against her. The main reason behind doing that is management were scarred of
the fall out of their shares which would affect their working operations in a negative way.
Executive summary: In this assessment, analysis of various sources or data has been put
into the consideration in order to know what have impacts Gosport hospital such as customer's,
public relations, industry position of the company and share price etc. In this assessment, major
focus has been given to data collection, graphic based information and data has been given. Also,
major emphasis has been given to regulation of the solution which are highly required to solve
issues in given point of time.

CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned information, it can be concluded that hospital image in the
mind of customers is essential as if it is favourable then only footfall of the hospital will maintain
its increasing track. The case could be avoided in the past only if the management have been able
to identify the activities which Dr Jane Barton is doing since 1980s. Hospital can only attain their
highest potential and efficiency while working if they are following ethical practices in their
business operations. As if no extra work is done by the employees to hide the unethical practices
then automatically productivity of the employees will increase which leads to better clinical
practices while working. Apart from this, it must be important for hospital to maintain their
customers or patients in the market if they are treating them according to their requirements
instead of providing dose which could be lethal for their life. At last, hospital management must
try to maintain their brand image in the health care industry as if favourable image is made in the
mind of patients then only smooth functioning of the operations and cash flow would be attain by
them.

RECOMMDENATIONS
After discussing scenario of Dr Jane Barton killing more than 450 elderly people and how
it affect hospital performance for a period of time. It must be essential for them to bring
modification in to their existing business operation as then only it would be possible for them to
perform and compete with other competitors in the health care industry. Various
recommendation which should be follow by Gosport War memorial Hospital is given below with
positive impact on their work,
 Share price is directly linked with the shareholders trust and interest over them and to
make the relationship more stronger between the hospital and the stakeholders, Gosport
hospital should provide proper dividend to them to so monetary benefits provided to them
will enhance their reliance on the hospital. Apart from this, Gosport hospital should try to
change their Chief Executive officer and appoint those individual who has favourable
image in the health care industry and market so that trust would be generated from
customers end.
 As mentioned above, any organisation in the market can not perform with their highest
potential if their image in the market is not favourable in nature. So maintain the
reputation in the market, Gosport hospital should try to increase their corporate social
responsibility so that positive image would be capture by the media and posted on their
networks. Favourable image in the media coverage will automatically create a positive
image in the mind of customers and shareholders. Other than this, they should try to
liaison with the local medical colleges, health care regulators so that this type of incidents
would be eradicated or reduced which will have a positive impact on their working
operations.
 It is essential to maintain competition in the market as if any other organisation gain
competitive advantage then it becomes hard for other companies to work according to
their strengths and capabilities. Gosport Hospital should hire new general practitioner in
to their business so that they would be able to perform with their highest potential i.e.,
able to treat more patients so that positive image would be created in their mind set.
Apart from this, advanced and latest technologies should be used by them so that highest
quality of treatment would be provided to the needy person.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Godlee, F., 2018. Lessons from Gosport.
Hawkes, N., 2018. Gosport: will justice ever be served?. BMJ: British Medical Journal (Online).
362.
Kewell, B. and Beck, M., 2008. NHS inquiries: a time series analysis. Public Money and
Management. 28(6). pp.375-382.
Mannion, R. and Davies, H., 2018. Understanding organisational culture for healthcare quality
improvement. BMJ. 363. p.k4907.
Thorns and et. al., 2019. 47 Demonstrating safe prescribing at the end of life after the gosport
war memorial hospital report: a regional survey of inpatient hospice practice.Walshe,
K., 2018. Gosport deaths, 2018. lethal failures in care will happen again.
Online
Gosport Hospital doctors should face criminal charges over scores of patient deaths. 2019.
[Online]. Available Through: <https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/06/17/gosport-
hospital-doctors-should-face-criminal-charges-scores/>
How a serial killer changed medical practice forever. 2019. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-30192721>
more than 450 patients died due to opioid drugs policy. 2019. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/20/gosport-war-memorial-hospital-
opioid-drugs-policy-inquiry>
Nurses were 'making patients comfortable'. 2019. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-44660105>
Reputation management,rather than conspiracy, blamed for Gosport failings. 2019. [Online].
Available Through: <https://www.prweek.com/article/1485890/reputation-
management-rather-conspiracy-blamed-gosport-failings>
Serial killer nurse Allitt must serve 30 years. 2019. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/dec/06/ukcrime.health>
The Gosport Horror: a Hospital in Name Only. 2019. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.weeklystandard.com/christine-rosen/gosport-hospital-dead-loss-scandal-
sometimes-euthanasia-is-another-word-for-murder>

APPENDIX
1.
Illustration 1: Timeline, 2019
2.
Illustration 2: Numbers of deaths in Gosport War Memorial Hospital certified by DrBarton
in total. 2003