Worrying revelations from Ian Paterson inquiry

The revelations from the recently published report following the Ian Paterson inquiry has revealed that more than 1,000 patients suffered needless operations.

The report also recommends that perhaps all 11,000 of his patients are recalled to identify if the number of victims is greater. The report has also criticised the NHS and the hospitals he has worked at, citing that there was a “culture of avoidance and denial” and “wilful blindness”  to his actions.

As specialist medical negligence lawyers, we often see the horrors patients go through when something goes wrong. But this is a very different case that involves a rogue surgeon who has deliberately harmed and violated the patients he was charged with caring for.

The Ian Paterson inquiry

The Ian Paterson inquiry has been pretty damming in its conclusions; rightly so when you consider the number of people affected, and how long his actions were going on for.

The breast surgeon is serving a 20-year jail term having been sentenced in 2017 over patients receiving needless operations. It’s believed that he may have carried out the procedures for financial gain and / or the notoriety of being perceived as a “hero surgeon” for several years. The damning reality is that over 1,000 patients have been subjected to invasive surgery that was completely unnecessary.

The conclusions in the report come in the wake of the damming news about another surgeon who also worked at Spire Hospitals, Habib Rahman, who is also being investigated over alleged unnecessary procedures carried out on patients.

Loss of faith and trust

Incidents of rogue surgeons – although rare – certainly don’t help the public when it comes to having faith in the vital medical services that the NHS provides.

Crucially, in the Ian Paterson inquiry, the NHS also faced criticism. You would hope that there would be protocols and procedures in place to prevent these kinds of events taking place, but as the report concluded, there had been systemic avoidance of issues.

These kinds of failures cannot be allowed to happen again, but as we’ve seen with the recent Habib case, it already has. The worry now is whether more instances may emerge.

What can victims do?

No amount of compensation can ever make up for the damage that has been done to the over 1,000 patients who have undergone unnecessary surgery.

Patients have been horrifically violated, and they deserve some form of justice which can be achieved by way of a claim for medical negligence compensation. English and Welsh law entitles a victim to be able to claim for any pain, suffering and loss they’ve experienced, so in a case like this, that can cover what they’ve endured for the unnecessary procedures.

We can take cases forward on a No Win, No Fee basis, and you can speak to our team for help and assistance by calling 0800 634 75 75.