The stroke ward at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, with male patients on one side and women on the other, is located on the ground floor. In 2017, the ward had 49 beds and was supervised by a small team of nurses. However, it was only recently, following a court case, that the disturbing truth about the ‘culture of abuse’ within the ward came to light.

Julie Whitfield, whose partner David Boyle spent three months on the Ward, described the horrible atmosphere she noticed from the moment she walked in. Julie speaks out for the first time about the ordeal David suffered before a whistleblower alerted the police. She regrets leaving David in the ward and believes no one should have been left there.

Some members of the medical staff would Drug Patients to keep them quiet, compliant, or for their own amusement. They referred to the patients in offensive terms in WhatsApp messages, bragging about sedating them. Staff had easy access to prescription drugs in the hospital pharmacy and would take them for their own use, to supply others, or to drug patients.

In 2018, a murder inquiry was initiated after a 75-year-old grandmother, Valerie Kneale, died from internal injuries after being assaulted on the same ward. Eight other deaths on the ward are also being examined by the coroner.

To date, six members of the medical team have been convicted of or pleaded guilty to various offenses, including administering sedatives to patients, theft, and supplying controlled drugs. Undercover officers played a role in bringing these staff members to justice.

The ward was severely understaffed, with only around eight nurses on the day shift and seven on the night shift. This meant that entire shifts could consist of cruel and corrupt nurses and healthcare assistants. Complaints made by patients and their relatives went unanswered, allowing the abuse to continue.

Although Hudson, Wilmot, and their colleagues were not implicated in the suspected murder or other deaths, they still face charges related to their abusive behaviors. David Boyle, a well-known figure in Blackpool, unfortunately came under their “care” in 2017 and spent over three months in the unit. David suffered from a severe stroke, which left him disabled and dependent on a feeding tube.

There were instances where David was restrained, including one incident where his restraint mitt was attached to the side rail of his bed, raising concerns about the appropriateness of such measures. Julie also discovered the sedative drug Zopiclone in his bedside cabinet. It is now known that Zopiclone was used to keep patients on the ward sedated. Julie believes that David was sedated for the wrong reasons, and she wasn’t given a satisfactory explanation for its administration.

David was not the only patient who may have been drugged on the ward. Over 1,000 Zopiclone tablets were dispensed, indicating a pattern of abusive behavior by the staff.

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