Police are investigating reports that saline bags were tampered with at a hospital in Cumbria.
Security has been increased at Cumberland infirmary, in Carlisle, after a member of staff discovered last week that a small number of the bags had apparently been tampered with.
A spokesman for the North Cumbria university hospitals NHS trust said there was “no indication that any patients have been adversely affected” by the apparent breach.
Dr Rod Harpin, the medical director of the trust, said: “I can confirm that the trust contacted the police on Wednesday 4 January regarding a small number of saline bags at the Cumberland infirmary in Carlisle which appear to have been tampered with.
“We immediately implemented our serious incident procedures and there is no indication that any patients have been adversely affected but we continue to monitor this closely. Patient safety is our absolute priority and we will continue to work closely with the police.”
The trust said considerable work had been done since the incident to review medicines across the hospital and increase security.
Cumbria police said: “We can confirm that we have been notified by the Cumberland infirmary in Carlisle of a number of bags of saline solution which have been tampered with.
“The investigation is at an early stage and enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances and the constabulary is working closely with the hospital.”
In May 2015, Filipino nurse Victorino Chua was jailed for life for murdering vulnerable patients by tampering with their saline bags at Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport.
Chua was ordered to serve a minimum of 35 years for murdering two patients and poisoning 20 others by injecting insulin into saline bags and ampoules.
These were unwittingly used by other nurses, causing a series of insulin overdoses to mainly elderly victims.
Police investigate reports of saline bag tampering at hospital
