Warning after 'blocked pipe' death

Police are investigating the blocked tubes

Doctors have been warned to check oxygen tubes before use after a series of mystery blockages - one leading to the death of a boy.

Police are now investigating three cases of hospital patients whose oxygen pipes were found to be blocked before or during operations.

They have refused to rule out the possibility that someone has been tampering with the equipment.

The Medical Devices Agency - responsible for the safety of equipment used in the NHS - issued the warning on Friday after the third case came to light.

It told anaesthetists to carefully check the equipment for blockages prior to use.

The third case to emerge happened in April at Watford General Hospital in Hertfordshire, when a woman was under anaesthetic for a routine operation.

Inquiry launched

The 57-year-old woman made a full recovery - and Hertfordshire Police had already launched their own inquiry.

However, one of the other two cases being investigated, both of which took place in Essex, resulted in the death of a nine-year-old boy.

Youngster Tony Clowes, from Dagenham, died on 18 July in the pre-operation room after being admitted to Broomfield Hospital to have the top of his finger sewn back on following a bike accident.

A pipe was also found to be blocked at Basildon Hospital in Essex, only a dozen miles away.

On this occasion, the problem was detected before the pipe was attached, and no harm came to the patient, police constable Jeremy Roberts, 42.

A spokeswoman for Essex Police said the force had learned of the Hertfordshire incident within the last few days.

The police are not describing the nature of the blockage, and are investigating whether there are any other links between the three incidents.

Tony Clowes died because of a blockage

"Hertfordshire Police had already been investigating it as a one-off incident after it had been reported to them," she said.

"Officers from Hertfordshire came to Essex today and met Detective Superintendent Win Bernard who is leading the Essex investigation.

"As a result it has been decided that there is sufficient information to now include it within the ongoing Essex inquiry."

Hertfordshire officers will be assisting with the investigation.

It had emerged that the pipe supplying Tony Clowes with oxygen had been reused contrary to manufacturers' guidelines.

Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, which runs Broomfield Hospital, has rejected allegations that staff were told to reuse the oxygen pipe to cut costs.