Harold Shipman was an English doctor who has been described as one of the deadliest serial killers in UK history. Shipman is estimated to have killed at least 215 of his patients, a figure that shocked the nation and raised serious questions about the safety and efficacy of medical procedures.
Shipman’s victims were primarily elderly women, many of whom he had known for years as his patients. He would visit their homes and persuade them to take lethal doses of morphine or diamorphine, telling them it was necessary for pain relief or terminal illness. Despite claims by some that his victims were suffering from various illnesses prior to their death, post-mortem examinations determined that no natural cause could be found for most cases.
Shipman was eventually arrested in 1998 after a colleague grew suspicious when he could not justify why so many cremation forms had been signed under his name. Upon investigation it became clear that Shipman had been forging the signatures on these forms in order to cover up his crimes. This discovery led to a more thorough investigation which ultimately revealed the extent of his heinous actions.
The case of Harold Shipman is an important reminder that even those we trust and rely on can do us harm if appropriate checks and balances are not in place. It is particularly shocking because it involved a health professional who was expected to provide care for those in need but instead abused their trust. To learn more about this fascinating case, you should watch the documentary ‘Harold Shipman: Driven To Kill’, which provides further insight into the events surrounding this terrible tragedy.
