A coroner has found that high doses of morphine administered by
an elderly doctor contributed to three patients' deaths.
County Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle also urged a review of GPs'
medical practices and said he would be writing to the medical
authorities to highlight issues raised during the inquests into the
three patients treated by Dr Howard Martin, 75.
Frank Moss, 59, Harry Gittins, 74, and Stanley Weldon, 74, were
given overdoses of morphine by Dr Martin, but he was cleared of
murdering them in a trial at Teesside Crown Court in December
2005.
The men had been patients of Dr Martin when he was a partner at
the Jubilee Medical Group, which had surgeries in Newton Aycliffe,
Shildon and Eldon, all in County Durham.
Reading from a statement, Mr Tweddle said: "It has already been
determined that Dr Martin did not intend to kill Mr Weldon, Mr Moss
or Mr Gittins and nothing in this verdict should be construed in
anyway to undermine that fact.
"Dr Martin has been described to me as an old-fashioned,
traditional general practitioner, one who placed great store on his
close personal relationship with his patients.
"However, such old fashioned and traditional values should have
not extended to a course of treatment which was described as
'risky' or 'antiquated'."