Plea to examine deaths in ‘surgeon feud’ heart unit

A coroner has reportedly been asked to reopen inquests into the deaths of patients at a heart unit found to have a higher than average fatality rate.

Staff said that rivalries between surgeons at St George’s Hospital in London left them feeling that a high death rate was inevitable, in a review which said patients were put at risk.

Last night The Times reported that some families had written to Fiona Wilcox, senior coroner for Westminster, asking her to investigate further. Some 150 patients died at the unit over five years.

It comes after Prof Marjan Jahangiri was allowed to return to work after being excluded following the report.