Shipman inquiry reports due

Shipman killed at least 215 of his patients in Hyde and Todmorden

The inquiry into Britain's worst serial killer will publish two more reports on Monday.

Dame Janet Smith, the judge appointed to investigate the case of Dr Harold Shipman, reported her findings of the first part of the inquiry in July last year - and identified a minimum of 215 victims of the Manchester GP.

One of the two new reports is expected to be critical of Greater Manchester police over the first investigation into Dr Harold Shipman's activities in March 1998.

It is alleged the failure of that investigation cost a further three women their lives.

The other report will look at the system for certifying death.

Shipman covered his tracks by signing his victims' death certificates and avoiding the involvement of a coroner.

Death certificates

The government is already considering the findings of another independent inquiry into the methods for issuing death certificates.

The Coroners Review Group recommended in June that a medically trained assessor should oversee doctors' certification of the cause of a patient's death.

SHIPMAN'S VICTIMS At least 215, possibly many more Shipman convicted of murdering 15 Oldest victim - Ann Cooper, 93, of Hyde, Greater Manchester Youngest victim - Peter Lewis, 41, of Briardene, Denton

Shipman, 57, was jailed for life in January 2000 at Preston Crown Court for murdering 15 of his patients.

Dame Janet Smith reviewed the deaths of hundreds of Shipman's patients at the public inquiry at Manchester Town Hall to arrive at her conclusion that he killed 215 and probably more.

His oldest victim was 93, his youngest 41.

The inquiry has already heard that the doctor was able to stockpile drugs because safeguards in the system failed for 20 years to detect what he was doing, despite the fact that he had previous convictions for drug offences.

Shipman freely got hold of drugs by either prescribing them for patients and not administering them or by over-prescribing.