Victims: We still want him charged with manslaughter
SURVIVORS of disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson vowed to ensure lessons are learned from yesterday’s damning report – as relatives of those who died after his operations called for him to face manslaughter charges.
Debbie Douglas, who suffered ‘needless’ surgery at the doctor’s hands, said all the recommendations from Bishop Graham James’s inquiry must be implemented.
In September 2017, more than 750 patients treated by Paterson received compensation payouts from a £37million fund.
Mrs Douglas provided a firsthand account to the inquiry, adding: ‘If you were a Paterson patient you were 50 per cent more likely to get a recurrence of breast cancer because you’ve been left with breast tissue, basically a time bomb, in your chest, ready to explode and ready to give you cancer because he didn’t remove it.’
Mrs Douglas welcomed the inquiry’s referral of individuals to authorities including the police.
She said: ‘The fight goes on until the legislation has changed. We don’t want somebody from the Government giving us lip service. It sickens me. Lessons aren’t learned unless legislations change. You look at the GMC – why, when people have reported the same consultant over and over again, is that consultant still working?’
Tracey Smith, another former patient, said: ‘I’ve always been angry, from 2012 when I was told my breast cancer surgery was unnecessary – hence why myself and Deb [ Douglas] went to Whitehall and fought for this inquiry. We will continue to fight
so that the recommendations are put in place to stop this from ever happening in the NHS or the Spire or any private hospital in the country.’
Lesley Cuthbert, who was also given unnecessary surgery in 2006, said: ‘Vulnerable patients like me were taken advantage of by a supposedly highly respected senior consultant who was given a high level of responsibility and autonomy in the private sector. We need better monitoring of surgeons operating in the private healthcare sector including independent and rigorous appraisals together with proper investigation of any concerns raised about a surgeon.’
The husband of a patient who died following unorthodox surgery from Paterson demanded he face more justice. Denise Bridgewater was introduced to Paterson after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004.
He performed a ‘cleavage-sparing’ mastectomy – where he only removed a small amount of tissue to allow some women to keep the shape of their breasts – on her. Her cancer returned in 2010 and she died four years later.
Her husband Alan said: ‘ If Paterson had done the surgery correctly in the first place I think she’d still have had a fighting chance – she wouldn’t have had the septicaemia or renal failure or pneumonia. He’s an evil guy who’s just out to make money for himself and people died as a result of that.’
Mr Bridgewater called for Paterson to be brought back to court over his patients’ deaths. ‘If there are charges for manslaughter then he should get life,’ he added.