An Analysis of the Gosport War Memorial Hospital Case Study

This case study examines the Gosport War Memorial Hospital scandal, focusing on the ethical and legal violations that occurred in the 1990s. The study highlights the malpractice under Dr. Jane Barton, who prescribed opioid drugs that led to the deaths of numerous elderly patients. It analyzes the roles of patients, public relations, the healthcare industry, and regulatory bodies in the context of this crisis. The analysis underscores the lack of ethical standards, mismanagement of medications, and the failure of healthcare professionals to intervene. The study emphasizes the importance of ethical codes, proper auditing, patient rights, and the need for transparency and accountability within the healthcare sector. It also explores the impact of media coverage and the role of regulators in addressing such malpractices, concluding with recommendations for establishing ethical practices and improving patient-centered care.

GOSPORT WAR MEMORIAL
HOSPITAL CASE STUDY

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

Executive Summary
It has summarised the ethic principles that can define as the moral value of an individual to
practice it in the behavioural approaches while performing task or work. It has combined with
the different elements from the branch of knowledge such as systematizing and also
recommended to measure the concerns in terms of morally right in proper manner. This case
study based on the “GOSPORT WAR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL” because there are lot of
problem arise in the hospital and faced by the patients. It will cover the public relation media
coverage in terms of awareness and helping the patients. It has recommended to implement
multiple approach to improve the condition and situation of hospital management system.
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INTRODUCTION
Ethics is defined as the moral principles of an individual to practice it in the behavioural
approaches while performing task or work. This is useful by combining elements from the
branch of knowledge such as systematizing and recommending to measure the concerns in terms
of morally right and wrongdoing (Cook and Pavlov, 2019).
The case study is based on the infamous Gosport War Memorial Hospital which took
place in the 1990s under the prescription of Dr. Jane Barton. This doctor gained monetary
benefits by recommending the opioid drugs which took lives of 456 patients from the elderly
unit. This medical malpractice brought questions on the integrity and work ethics of healthcare
professionals like nurses, pharmacists who were silent throughout this episode and never
interfered (Seitz, 2018).
However, in 1991, senior nurses reported about it to the Royal College of Nursing (RCM)
but got covered up. Later in the year 2009, Dr. Barton was never punished severely but received
disciplinary action by the General Medical Council (Hayes and et.al., 2019). Although she
retired soon and continued to live with this guilt, there were assumptions that few more
comparative examples took place in the hospitals of National Health Services (NHS).
This case is significant in understanding the damages that such malpractices has on the
entire value and worth in the eyes of the service users, regulatory bodies and other healthcare
institutions (Boseley, 2018). This case study highlighted the lack of ethical standards and
mismanagement of the medications and treatments plan without any supervision which has
tarnished the reputation and trust of this hospital among the public who run to hospital for any
health issue.
This report is based on understanding the bioethics and associated challenges that posed
as threat to the service users and their families. It includes about the role of patients, industry,
public relations and regulators to analyse the implications of such malpractice.
MAIN BODY
This case study has again come into limelight when Jeremy Hunt, the former Health
Minister apologised to the public in the month of June 2018. This apology was towards those
families who lost people due to the use of Diamorphine, a life-shortening opioid drug which was
given to the elderly patients of the Gosport War Memorial Hospital (Hawkes2018). It has also
emphasized on the lack of auditing and monitoring of the working practices working in the
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health and social care. There were several times when nurses came out but were forced to stay
quiet in order to minimise the risks to the hospital's reputation and might also affect the
economic aspects as well.
Patients:
It has been understandable that the patients are the most affected category of any
malpractice. They are at the footsteps of any corruption or malpractice that might affect their
well being and affect their perspectives in consuming services or products to live a comfortable
living (Mannion and et.al., 2019). The thesis statement is to impart education about the rights
and policies before assessing the healthcare services. This is important because the patients has
been ignored and were treated in an unprofessional manner.
In context to the case study, the patients were completely at the hands of the professionals
like doctors, nurses etc. who were given wrong dosage to relieve from pain but it turned out that
it became a death sentence for those 256 elderly patients. These patients were given an opioid
drug which was syringe driven and used to attach to the patient's body at constant levels. This
medication is given to critically ill patients whose recovery chances are bleak and after spiking
with this, the patient dies after a short span of time.
Additionally, the case study demonstrated that the patients died which came as a shock
for their families but could not do anything about it apart from griefing. However, the other
practitioners could have come in front to tell the regulatory bodies like Royal College of Nursing
or administrative section including board of directors but these also failed miserably. They
closed their eyes and ears and moved ahead doing their allotted tasks which was clear violation
of ethical code of conduct. According to Hippocrates, it comes under moral obligation of such
professionals to safeguard and protect the lives of people and thus it was effective in minimising
the reputational risks.
Public relations (PR) or media coverage:
This factor is useful in bringing awareness to the public and helping in overcoming the
challenges and barriers that hinder the ongoing activities and operational practices at the
organisational levels. This section is refereed as the biggest tool in reaching the public at the
worldwide levels and with technological advancements, it has been proved as a blessing to make
public including patients, professionals, non health related bodies and individuals vigilant and
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give them updates regarding any malpractice or good practice (Shanahan, 2019). The thesis
statement is to utilise the several platforms of information for welfare of society.
In regard to the case study, it has been observed that during the time of the occurrence of
this malpractice, it was hidden from the public eye and the people were misled and shown
empathy. However, when the senior nurses complained against this malpractice and informed the
authorities of Royal College of Nursing, they subsided this entire fiasco and compromised on
their ethical code of conduct. This showed that lack of work ethics and moral values paved the
path of this unfortunate incident that took lives of elderly patients.
Moreover, the PR here showed lack of commitment and professionalism which put
questions on the working practices of professionals at the organizational context. Later when this
came into limelight, the agitated families were complaining and asking numerous enquiries
regarding the policies and legislative frameworks of the healthcare institutions. Here, the media
coverage assisted them in gaining momentum to give the affected families' justice and fair
chance of punishing the culprits and protecting such mishappening in the near future. This would
help in maintenance of organization or professionals reputation.
The industry or sector:
Any sector or industry in an all round aspects must deal with any situational crises under
unity and collaborative approachability. Here, the health and social care sector is crucial since its
presence is omnipresent in all the aspects of an individual. The sector has the ability to formulate
policies, guidelines and instructions to be followed by all the attached organizations and
companies working in the same industry. However, this requires constant supervision and
reviewing methodology to sustain the challenges and bring ethical and moral based solutions to
maintain effective patient centred care (Baker, Dargan and Smith2019).
In regard to the case study, this industry lacked the basic management technique like
reviewing process, quality management by supervising or monitoring etc. to regulate their
professionals and working conditions. They failed in tackling the challenges that posed as serious
issue in later time. The families were disappointed and deeply infuriated on the unethical
behaviour of Dr. Jane Barton who did not care about the ill effects of the prescribed drug and led
to deaths of so many elderly population. The nurses and pharmacists knew about it and yet they
did not inform anyone. This behaviour clearly showed that the professionals were not
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compassionate and cheated not only the patients and the families but also put the lives of people
in danger.
Thus, it is important to understand that the industrial norms and frameworks act as
driving forces to bring fair opportunity to the affected individuals and the concerned authorities.
Moreover, the focus is to maintain the transparency and reliability of the contribution from
professionals and other people working in the sector in maintaining the image or destroying the
reputation among the competitors in the same sector.
Regulators:
These play important roles in understanding the establishment, identification and
procurement of the available resources to provide qualitative services for the patient centred care.
There are many statutory bodies that provide assistance and support in recognising the
drawbacks and other challenging components that act as hindrance between the patients and the
professionals working in the sector. In order to maintain the decorum and dignity of the patients,
these regulators must be strict and adhere to the guidelines properly to safeguard the people lives
and help them by giving quality and delivery of services (Thorns and et.al., 2019). Their role is
significant to channelise the flow of communication and following of policies in compliance
order to maintain the patient centred care.
When the senior nurses complained to the authorities at the Royal College of Nursing,
they tried to cover it up ad asked them to stay under low levels and not to bring this incident
again. However, with time, it came to light that the real cause behind the deaths of those patients
was due to usage of unwarranted drug. This came under the violation of oath of duty and broke
the legal rights which gave the families a chance to sue the involved doctor. Moreover, the
doctor was not punished and her licence was also working. This was not acceptable because the
punishment should have been more severe and this could have been a lesson to other
professionals to work under the framework of ethical code of practices (Dyer, 2018). It would
prove beneficial in maintaining the reputation and minimise such malpractices.
CONCLUSION
It has been summarized that this case study has highlighted the darker side of
professionals behaviour in gaining additional amount of money through illegal and unethical
techniques. The role of professionals here has demonstrated that they also behave in normal
human manner and sometimes face dilemma whether to follow moral principles or continue with
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the safety of the given job. The analysis clearly showed that the role of regulators and media
coverage are crucial in formulating the policies and adherence to rules under ethical order.
Moreover, the patients are the receivers in this sector and must be given complete attention to
meet their requirements in wholesome manner. Here, the sector must be in sync with all aspects
of performing the tasks at hand under the legislative framework to maintain the dignity, respect
and reputation. Moreover, the patients must be given proper treatment plans and should be also
educated regarding the dosage, medication and other vital signs to maintain the patient centred
care.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Need of ethical code of practises at organisational levels
It has been recommended to implement the ethical code of practices in the organization
that require for independently maintain the organizational culture. It has required to give a proper
auditing and provide the equal duties to their patients. Ethics are important principle which
needed to apply in their moral duties to take right decision regarding the patient healthcare. It
forms when individual with carried out the equal interest towards their goals and achievements.
Code of ethics must be set the specific criteria when employee were follows the regular auditing
and manage or strong the legal system in terms of healthcare. Proper ethics within the
organization can offer many benefits to the patients and improve the corporate culture among the
people (Baker, Dargan and Smith2019). It has a social responsibility to improve the better
culture through the internal communication or legal practices.
Establishment of strong management systems
It has recommended in implementing the strong management system that help for
organization to maintain their policies and procedures in proper manner. It has needed to handle
every task in appropriate manner. The employees are mainly coordinates with other staff
members to manage their internal communication which help for hospital staff. They also record
the patient's information which necessary to easily identified at any time. It has used the system
module where every staff record all type of examination and test results of patient (Dyer, 2018).
It has possible when they will develop or establish strong management system to manage and
control all type of facilitates and services in proper manner.
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Training sessions for professionals
The professionals must be given induction and orientation sessions initially to make them
realise the significance of fulfilling the duties in professional and ethical manner(Dyer, 2018).
This would help in bridging the communication gaps between the professionals and the patients
with their families.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baker, H., Dargan, S. and Smith, C., 2019. 46 Improving the prescription of anticipatory
medications for adults recognised as dying in a district general hospital.
Cook, G. and Pavlov, A., 2019. Disease in the Merchant Navy: a history of the Seamen's
Hospital Society. CRC Press.
Dyer, C., 2018. Deaths from medicines: lessons from coroners’ reports are too easily lost, review
finds.
Hawkes, N., 2018. Gosport: will justice ever be served?. BMJ: British Medical Journal (Online).
362.
Hayes, P.W. and et.al., 2019. European naval diets in the sixteenth century: A quantitative
method for comparative and nutritional analysis. Historical Methods: A Journal of
Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History. pp.1-18.
Mannion, R. and et.al., 2019. Healthcare scandals and the failings of doctors: Do official
inquiries hold the profession to account?. Journal of Health Organization and
Management.
Seitz, D.W., 2018. World War I, Mass Death, and the Birth of the Modern US Soldier: A
Rhetorical History. Rowman & Littlefield.
Shanahan, D., 2019. A concept analysis of poor care using Rodgers’ evolutionary cycle. The
Journal of Adult Protection.
Thorns, A. 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.
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Online
Boseley,S., 2018.Gosport hospital: more than 450 patients died due to opioid drugs policy.
[Online].Available through<https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/20/gosport-war-
memorial-hospital-opioid-drugs-policy-inquiry>.
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