Nurse accused of killing man with fatal dose of drug meant for other patient

A nurse is to stand trial charged with giving a man a fatal dose of a drug meant for another patient.

Blake Dolan allegedly killed Martin Weldon, 36, at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow on August 13, 2022.

The 32-year-old, of the city’s Bridgeton, faces a charge of culpable homicide.

It is claimed he did “culpably and recklessly prepare and administer a quantity of prescription drugs” without having regard for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde guidelines.

This includes an accusation that he made a false record on hospital software that the “correct and supervised” giving of medication had occurred.

Dolan allegedly went to the room of Mr Weldon with two sets of prescription drugs without a fellow nurse and also while not using a hospital laptop to “cross-check” against patient records.

Prosecutors further allege he did “fail to conduct the proper series of safety checks” before administering the medication.

It is claimed that Dolan also did not “confirm” the correct prescription for a patient and the “nature of the drug” about to be given.

The charge concludes that he did inject Mr Weldon with a “lethal dose” of Class A opioid Alfentanil, which was allegedly for another patient on the ward.

Prosecutors state Mr Weldon, of Dumbarton, died as a result and that Dolan did kill him.

Dolan faces an alternative charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act in connection with the death.

The case called for a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.

Murray Macara, defending, told the court that the defence was awaiting 31 items from the Crown.

He stated that the defence is not ready for trial as they await an expert report from a nurse.

Mr Macara said: “Given that the date identified for the trial is 12 months away, this report will be intimated to the Crown well before the trial date.”

Prosecutor Leanne Cross stated that the Crown have made full disclosure of evidence other than Mr Weldon’s medical records.

Ms Cross added that work is ongoing for their redaction, and the records will span the last three years of his life.

Judge Lord Mulholland set a trial at the High Court in Glasgow for January 2027, which is expected to last 12 days.

The defence will be conducted at trial by solicitor advocate Simon Whyte and an allocated judge is yet to be determined.