VINDICATED
Top surgeon suspended in whistleblower row allowed back to work
A HEART surgeon who was suspended from her job – and claims she was subjected to a witch-hunt – won a court victory yesterday allowing her to return to work immediately.
Professor marjan Jahangiri was made to carry her belongings from the hospital in three plastic bags last August after being accused of trying to contact a witness in an internal hospital investigation.
st George’s Hospital in Tooting, south London, is assessing the workplace culture in its cardiac unit after a review found that staff were split into two camps, and a ‘dark force’ in the department had contributed to a high death rate. Although the review named some surgeons, it did not mention Professor Jahangiri, 56 – the first female professor of cardiac surgery in europe.
The pioneer in the field of aortic valve surgery operates on more than 250 patients a year and has a patient death rate of 1.2 per cent, compared with the British average of 7 to 15 per cent. Professor Jahangiri claims to have faced a ‘campaign of bullying and harassment’ after raising concerns about standards on her unit, even being sent a decapitated doll and a dead animal in the post.
Yet she was suspended and gagged by st George’s University Hospitals NHs Foundation Trust, preventing her going public about an alleged witch-hunt against her.
Patients needing potentially lifesaving procedures were left in the lurch after Trust bosses said her exclusion was necessary because she allegedly got her secretary to ‘tell off ’ a colleague who was to give evidence to the review. The same colleague also claimed Professor Jahangiri had shouted at a nurse and prioritised a private patient over an NHs one.
Professor Jahangiri’s clinical skill was unquestioned, however.
Yesterday, she overturned the ‘irrational’ suspension, meaning she can return to work this week. she also won costs of £35,000. The judge, mr Justice Nicklin, said: ‘Whilst the impact of exclusion on a doctor is likely to be severe, when a skilled and respected surgeon, about whom there are no concerns as to her ability, is excluded the consequences reach far beyond the individual.’ He was referring to the fact that Professor Jahangiri was due to perform ‘extremely complex’ surgery on a female patient when she was suspended. The surgeon said she was ‘extremely upset’ at being banned from speaking to the woman to explain why her operation was shelved.
Yesterday, she said: ‘I’m delighted with today’s judgment and very much look forward to returning to my patients, their families, my colleagues and my trainees. my priority, as it has always been, is combining excellent patient care with research and training. I am devoted to the NHs.’
she is still pursuing a claim against the Trust for allegedly being subjected to a vendetta.
Trust chief executive Jacqueline Totterdell said: ‘We are disappointed by the judgment today, but understand and respect it.
‘We welcome that this ruling is not about guilt or exoneration, and the judge made no finding on the facts being investigated.
‘He said the exclusion process was not appropriate, but allowed the Trust to continue its investigation into serious issues.
‘The ruling was about procedure and not a finding on serious underlying issues which we have a duty to investigate.’
‘I am devoted to the NHS’