Jailed NI surgeon’s private hospital patients recalled
MORE than 5,000 former patients of jailed breast surgeon Ian Paterson are being contacted by the private hospital where he worked.
The recall by Spire Healthcare comes after the company was criticised by an independent inquiry earlier this year for not doing enough to follow up with Paterson’s patients.
The breast surgeon, who grew up in Co Down, is serving a 20year prison sentence for wounding with intent after being found guilty of carrying out unnecessary surgery on more than 1,000 women over 14 years.
Paterson carried out unapproved surgery known as “cleava ge- s par i ng” mastect o mies which left behind breast tissue in some cancer patients, risking a return of the disease.
Earlier this year senior coroners in Birmingham launched new inquests into 23 of Paterson’s deceased patients at the request of West Midlands Police. The coroners said they believed the deaths “may have been caused or contributed to by acts or omissions” by Paterson and other clinicians. Spire Healthcare said it was writing to all 5,500 living patients who were seen by Paterson between 1993 and 2011.
The University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust started its own recall of patients in May.
In his final report on the scandal in February the Right Reverend Graham James, the former bishop of Norwich, criticised the lack of care and treatment for patients.
His report said: “We are not convinced that all patients who should have been recalled have been contacted.
“UHB has gone some way to rectifying this by reviewing all Paterson’s surviving mastectomy patients and providing them with ongoing care, where necessary. This has not been replicated by Spire.”
It added: “Almost a third of patients who gave evidence to the inquiry said they had never received communication about recall, or attended an appointment.”
Spire Healthcare said any patient who received a letter could call a new dedicated patient freephone helpline on 0800 085 8130 to speak to specialist staff.