Health chiefs suspend medic who exposed rogue surgeon
Whistleblower declined to give evidence to Paterson inquiry
THE whistleblower who exposed rogue Solihull breast surgeon Ian Paterson is one of two medics who have been suspended by a private healthcare group.
Mr Hemant Ingle, who alerted hospital bosses to Paterson’s malpractice, is one of two surgeons suspended by Spire Healthcare.
The other medic is plastic surgeon Mrs Chien C Kat, who carried out reconstructions on some of Paterson’s patients.
Both have been suspended after they declined to give evidence to the Paterson Inquiry led by the Rt Rev Graham James, retired Bishop of Norwich.
The medics, who were both colleagues of Paterson at the former Heart of NHS England Trust, were not legally obliged to give evidence.
Nor is there any suggestion that they harmed patients or acted in other than good faith.
But, according to the inquiry report: “Individuals who were in breach of their professional code of conduct by not cooperating with the Inquiry have been reported to their professional regulator.”
The inquiry report listed six individuals or groups who declined to provide evidence, with Mr Ingle and Mrs Kat the only two practising surgeons.
The other four on the list “who were invited to provide evidence to the Inquiry, and we think could have provided useful insight, but declined to come forward” were a retired surgeon, a barrister, a law firm and The Patients Association.
Spire Healthcare said that as it would be taking up all recommendations made by the inquiry, it followed that the two surgeons should be suspended. Patient Deborah Douglas, who was instrumental in convincing the Government to launch the Paterson Inquiry, spoke out in support of Mr Ingle.
“Mr Ingle is a good man,” she told the Birmingham Post. “I was disappointed that he didn’t give evidence, but I understand. Paterson put him through hell.”
Consultant breast surgeon Paterson was employed by the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust but had practising privileges at Spire hospitals in Solihull and Little Aston.
The surgeon carried out unnecessary operations in NHS and private hospitals, exaggerating or inventing cancer risks and claiming payments for more expensive procedures. He was jailed for 20 years in 2017 after being found guilty of 17 counts of wounding patients with intent. All of his 11,000 patients he treated are being recalled.
Mr Ingle, who worked with Paterson, blew the whistle after concerns about the rogue surgeon’s bullying and competence.
He was appointed to the Heart of England NHS Trust in January 2007, and immediately started raising concerns about Paterson’s surgeries. He was seeing patients who had alarming amount of breast tissues following a supposed mastectomy, and was seeing recurrences of cancer in that tissue.” According to the Kennedy Review, a report into Paterson’s work at Solihull Hospital, the shamed surgeon had explained them away as ‘tit for tat’, and said that his procedure was more cosmetically pleasing. “It was not long before difficulties emerged between Mr Ingle and Mr Paterson,” the review reported. “Relations in the MDT (multidisciplinary team) deteriorated. Mr Paterson was said to have sought to undermine Mr Ingle, going so far as to cast doubt on Mr Ingle’s clinical competence and to telephone referees at Mr Ingle’s previous Trust to check on his credentials. Mr Ingle, unusually, was prepared to stand up to Mr Paterson, but the tension clearly had an effect on the functioning of the MDT.”
Mr Ingle was later moved to Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield by managers to defuse the ‘increasing tension’ between the two men.
Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgeon Mrs Kat worked with Paterson at both the Heart of NHS England Trust and Spire.
A spokesman for Spire Healthcare, said: “We fully support all the recommendations made by the Inquiry. In its report, the Inquiry team expressed concern about individuals who did not give evidence or co-operate with the Inquiry and indicated that they had been reported to their professional regulators. As a result, we have taken appropriate action and two people are currently suspended, pending investigations.”