Relatives call for Shipman confession

Harold Shipman: Patient records studied

The serial killer Harold Shipman has been urged to make a full confession after a new investigation revealed the possible extent of his murders.

The report suggests that the former GP probably killed 236 patients over his 24-year career, making him one of the world's worst murderers.

If he admitted his guilt it would make it a lot better for a lot of families

Jane Ashton Hibbert

It is highly unlikely that Shipman, who is serving 15 life sentences, will be brought to trial for any further deaths, but some who fear their relatives were among his victims want him to admit the killings.

The former doctor, who ran a surgery in Hyde, Greater Manchester, was convicted of the murder of 15 female patients last January.

He has not confessed to these or any other murders.

Families 'in no-man's land'

Jane Ashton Hibbert, whose grandmother Hilda Hibbert died in January 1996 after being treated by Shipman, said: "It's just a very difficult time for a lot of the families.

Jane Ashton Hibbert: "Relatives have no way to turn"

"If he admitted his guilt it would make it a lot better for a lot of families.

"Some of the families are in no-man's land, they have got no way to turn, they don't know, they are never going to know, and that's the difficult part of this case."

The daughter of Bertha Moss, another patient believed to have been killed by Shipman, said it was "very upsetting, very unfair" that the death would not be brought to trial.

"It would make it easier if he admitted it but he's not going to do that we don't expect him to do that," Jayne Gaskell told the BBC.

'Chilling' report

The independent report, described as "chilling reading" by the government's Chief Medical Officer, has reawakened concerns over the monitoring of doctors and the drugs which are available to them.

It compares the pattern of deaths at both his former practice in Hyde, Greater Manchester, and his first practice in Todmorden, Yorkshire, with other similar practices.

Shipman killed his victims with diamorphine

At the very worst, claims statistics expert Professor Richard Baker, the GP may have had a hand in well over 300 deaths, but this is unlikely.

Shipman issued many more death certificates over the 24 years than any of the other practices used as comparators.

The raw statistics suggest that at the extreme, there were 345 extra deaths when Shipman's records were compared with normal practice at similar surgeries.

However, more detailed analysis of the circumstances surrounding each death means that the probable figure is 236 - as these were the patients who died at home.

Health Secretary Alan Milburn said: "The truth is we will probably never know for sure just how many people were killed by Harold Shipman. Only Harold Shipman can tell us that.

Review of procedures

"What we do know is that very many patients suffered at his hands. My heart goes out to each and every one of the families affected."

Shipman killed his victims, patients at his single-handed practice by giving them overdoses of diamorphine, the medical name for heroin.

Many residents of Hyde were registered with Dr Shipman

Part of Professor Baker's report gives recommendations for tighter controls on the procedure for death certification, as well as the availability of controlled drugs such as diamorphine.

These issues will be considered by a public inquiry to be held later this year.

Copies of Professor Baker's report will also be handed to the police and Crown Prosecution Service, but it is unlikely that any more charges will be brought.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, David Calvert-Smith QC, told the BBC that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with any more cases and that it would be virtually impossible to get a fair trial.

But he said a tightening of the law to monitor doctors was very likely in the wake of the case.