No police probe into Stafford hospital

There will be no criminal investigation into the Stafford Hospital care scandal, Staffordshire Police has said.

After examining the evidence from the Francis Inquiry, Staffordshire Police has concluded that whilst there was widespread evidence of poor care, there is no evidence that it actually resulted in a death.

That judgement has been condemned by campaign group Cure the NHS who said the decision was a "kick in the teeth" to families who had lost loved ones.

Group founder Julie Bailey said there were dozens of deaths which she said resulted from poor care.

The judgement from the police has been revealed in a letter sent to Stafford MP David Kidney after he wrote to the force in March following the independent Francis Inquiry requesting it examine whether there was a case to be answered in relation to corporate manslaughter.

Detective Chief Superintendent Joe Costello, who is head of Staffordshire Police's Protective Service's Division, was tasked with examining the issue.

He said he had considered the evidence of the Francis Inquiry, the Healthcare Commission report and has held talks with South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust, which is carrying out a case note review of care at the hospital.

In his letter to David Kidney, the officer said: "The independent inquiry highlighted many instances arising from unacceptable standards of basic nursing care and denial of patient dignity. There is evidence of a systemic failure of the provision of good care, however, there is no evidence that any deaths occurred as a direct result of these failings."

Det Ch Supt Costello added that although the inquiry heard evidence of misdiagnosis, which was extremely distressing to families, there was no evidence to suggest the incidents constituted gross negligence or a breach of duty of care.

He concluded: "Staffordshire Police will not be instigating a criminal investigation on the basis of the findings of the independent inquiry."