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INQUESTS into the deaths of ten patients at the same Hampshire hospital were opened today.

All the elderly patients died at Gosport War Memorial Hospital between 1996 and 1999 and their deaths have been the subject of police investigations.

Their relatives have claimed that sedatives, including diamorphine, were over-prescribed, leading to their deaths.

But, in December 2006, the Crown Prosecution Service announced it would not be pursuing the case as there is not enough evidence to charge anyone over the deaths.

Government inspectors criticised the community hospital for its excessive use of pain relieving and sedative drugs in 2002.

South East Hampshire coroner David Horsley has formally opened and adjourned the inquests.

They are now due to be held concurrently later this year at Portsmouth Coroner's Court and are likely to take several weeks to conclude.

The patients whose deaths will be the subjects of the inquests are: Leslie Pittock, died 24/1/96 Elsie Lavender, died 6/3/96 Ruby Lake, died 21/8/98 Robert Wilson, died 18/10/96 Enid Spurgeon, died 13/4/99 Elsie Devine, died 21/11/99 Helena Service, died 5/6/97 Arthur Cunningham, died 26/9/98 Sheila Gregory, died 22/11/99 Geoffrey Packman, died 3/9/99.

2:15pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

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