Gosport War Memorial Hospital investigations
The Coroner’s service is due to handle a significant volume of referrals relating to deaths associated with Gosport War Memorial Hospital arising out of the Operation Magenta investigation by Kent Police.
This webpage contains information regarding the referral process, next steps and appropriate contact details for families.
This page will continue to be updated with relevant information as the work progresses.
Information for families
In December 2014, the Gosport Independent Panel was established to address concerns raised by family members about the treatment of their relatives at Gosport War Memorial Hospital.
In June 2018, the Panel published their report. The Panel found that the lives of many elderly patients were shortened as a direct result of a pattern of prescribing and administering opioids at the Hospital.
At the conclusion of their report, the Panel noted that it was for the (then) Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and the relevant public authorities, to consider the action that needed to be taken to further investigate exactly what happened at the Hospital.
In September 2018, Operation Magenta was established. Operation Magenta is a full police investigation into deaths at the Hospital between 1987 and 2001, led by Deputy Chief Constable Neil Jerome and under the control and direction of the Kent Police. You can find information on Operation Magenta here.
The Kent Police have been liaising directly with families regarding the outcomes of the Operation Magenta investigations.
What happens next?
Whenever a criminal investigation is concluded into any death, it is normal for the death to be referred to the Coroner to consider whether any further investigation into the death is required.
At this stage, no cases from the Operation Magenta investigation have been referred to the Coroner. However, the Coroner's service is currently engaging with Operation Magenta to assess the cases that will be referred, the timeline for doing so and the determination of a proper referral process. Operation Magenta will contact you once your case has been referred. We hope to receive the first referrals early in 2027.
Once a case has been referred to the Coroner's service, the service will undertake such further enquiries as may be necessary to determine whether a coronial investigation into the death is required. The Coroner will decide and direct on that accordingly.
Contact us
TLT LLP have been appointed to assist the Coroner's service with the Gosport War Memorial Hospital investigations and are the main point of contact.
Their contact details are:
By Post
TLT LLP c/o Coroners Gosport Investigation
20 Gresham St
London
EC2V 7JE
By email