Nurse questioned after patients stop breathing

A nurse has been questioned by police as part of an inquiry into the care of 10 hospital patients who briefly stopped breathing.

Horton General Hospital in Banbury, Oxfordshire, confirmed yesterday that it was concerned about irregularities in the treatment of the patients, who suffered respiratory problems after being treated in its accident and emergency unit.

A 23-year-old man was arrested by Thames Valley Police on Monday after hospital managers found that he had been involved in treating all the suspect cases. He was released on police bail after questioning, pending further inquiries, but has been suspended from his duties.

Fears over care at the unit emerged last Friday when a patient briefly stopped breathing.

An emergency review of all patients admitted to the unit in the recent past identified nine others whose cases had similar characteristics.