Inquiry into hospital deaths

Relatives complained about treatment at the hospital

A fatal accident inquiry has been ordered into standards of care at a Scottish hospital.

The decision follows the deaths of five pensioners who were treated at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.

The four men and one woman died between 1999 and 2001, either in the hospital or shortly after leaving it.

The cases were unrelated but there was a belief among the bereaved relatives that misdiagnosis or poor levels of care contributed to the deaths.

The five patients were: Agnes McCoull, 71, from Kirkcudbright; Archibald Haining, 81, from Castle Douglas; William Sneddon, 64, from Locharbriggs; Lemond Milroy, 69, from Newton Stewart and David McFarlane, 76, from Heathhall.

Co-operating fully

One widow said her husband was treated in a degrading, debased and dehumanised way and that she was failed by nurses, doctors and the hospital complaints procedure.

Reports on the deaths were sent to the procurator fiscal in Dumfries and it was decided that a fatal accident inquiry should be held.

The inquiry is earmarked to start 1 December and is expected to last 10 days.

A spokesman for Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary said officials will be co-operating fully with the fiscal's office and there would be no further comment until the sheriff's determination is published.