§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if the timescale of the police investigation into the death of a patient due to a blocked oxygen pipe at Broomfield hospital, Chelmsford in July and other alleged related incidents within the NHS is affected by record keeping with regard to(a) off duty rota records, (b) the off duty book, (c) weekly staff timesheets, and (d) agency timesheets; and if he will make a statement. [15011]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 15 November 2001]: The police are looking at staff duty records as part of the investigation into the death of a patient due to a blocked oxygen pipe.
The police acknowledge that this is a long and painstaking investigation which is likely to take some time.
The Department and the national health service are co-operating fully with the police in this matter.