Union calls for system to avoid future rogue cases

Questions must be asked about how rogue breast surgeon Ian Paterson was able to carry out a raft of unnecessary operations, a leading medical regulatory body has said.

In the wake of his sentencing, the General Medical Council (GMC) said it is crucial such crimes are prevented from happening again. Speaking after Paterson was jailed yesterday, Charlie Massey, chief executive and registrar of the GMC, said Paterson’s crimes were “deeply shocking acts that betrayed patients’ trust”.

He added: “It is absolutely right that questions are asked about how this happened and more crucially how the health system can prevent it from happening again. His practice went unchecked for so long because some of those in the health system had their concerns but failed to report them to us.”