Patients had faith, but staff were fearful
Ian Paterson was trusted as a life-saver by the women he treated, but colleagues saw a darker side to him
By and WITH his convincing bedside manner and “God-like” status on the wards, Ian Paterson was able to manipulate his patients’ worst fears about cancer, persuading them to undergo whatever treatment or surgery he suggested.
Such was his reputation that concerned women across the West Midlands, and even further afield, would seek him out. Patients described how they borrowed thousands of pounds to fund operations after he told them their lives depended on it.
But the traumatic surgery was completely unnecessary, and was carried out to fund Paterson’s high-end lifestyle and luxury property empire. The Scottish-born consultant owned homes in Birmingham, Cardiff, Cheshire and the United States.
One victim said: “We all say the same, he had such a lovely manner. You felt that he was genuine and caring, and he just wasn’t like a normal consultant. He was very down to earth.
“He’d be very caring and would put you at ease. There wasn’t any reason to distrust what he was telling us.”
Leanne Joseph, 36, described how she went to her parents to raise the £1,500 for a private operation after Paterson told her scans had revealed precancerous cells, convinced his swift diagnosis had probably saved her life.
During his trial, as he sat laughing and joking in the dock, jurors were told how he had “instilled complete confidence in his patients”.
Julian Christopher QC said: “He was extremely experienced and knowledgeable in his field, which makes what happened in this case all the more extraordinary and outrageous.”
But while his patients may have been under his spell, colleagues spoke of a Jekyll and Hyde character, who could quickly turn nasty when his authority was challenged.
One former colleague said he had “a very aggressive, bullying sort of personality, which allowed him to get his way. People would generally go around him, they were afraid of him.
“He didn’t want anyone in his way. Because of his personality, he tended to be isolated and he quite liked that. People would avoid him, go around him and not deal with him. So he never got questioned or hauled up.”
Painting himself as a man at the top of his game, it was never quite clear whether his first priority was money or his reputation.
But speaking on the steps of the court, former patient Debbie Douglas said she was in no doubt that he was motivated by greed.
She said: “Money was definitely a factor, to me it was a money-making machine. He’s made people suffer and he has never given anyone any peace.
“He should suffer and he should spend a long time in jail.”
Det Chief Supt Mark Payne said: “The procedures carried out by Ian Paterson on vulnerable patients were unnecessary and caused physical suffering, scars and wounds.
“Also, as a result of his greed and arrogance, many of the patients have suffered psychologically, believing they needed to undergo the procedures because they were at risk from breast cancer.
“Paterson was a renowned and experienced surgeon who instilled complete confidence in his patients and therefore abused his position of trust.
“Of the 11 victims he was charged with in relation to this case, none had breast cancer, and yet he led them to believe they were at risk. This was cruel and unnecessarily led to many people suffering and living in fear.
“Paterson was a controlling bully, who played God with people’s lives so he could live a luxurious lifestyle.”
‘He had a very aggressive, bullying personality. People would go around him because they were afraid of him’