NHS pays £17.5m in compensation to victims of ‘butcher’ breast surgeon

hUNDREDs of victims of butcher scots surgeon ian paterson have been paid more than £17.5million in compensation by the Nhs.

health chiefs had received 277 claims involving paterson’s Nhs practice and paid £17,411,639 as of July 31.

But that figure could rise further as private patients have launched a legal bid against the trust where he worked, along with a private health provider where he carried out private work as well as paterson himself.

the news comes a week after the glasgow-born surgeon, who carried out unnecessary breast operations leaving victims scarred and disfigured, had five years added to his jail sentence for his crimes.

court of Appeal judges in london declared a ‘just’ sentence of 20 years should replace the ‘unduly lenient’ 15 years he was given in May.

paterson, 59, who lived in greater Manchester, was convicted by a jury at Nottingham crown court of 17 counts of wounding with intent and three counts of unlawful wounding against 10 private patients.

the case against heart of England Nhs Foundation trust (hEFt), private health provider spire healthcare and paterson will reach the high court later this year.

A spire spokesman said: ‘While the claims against ian paterson appear to be clear cut, the claims against spire and the Nhs are significantly more complex. hEFt was criticised by sir ian Kennedy in his 2013 review of ian paterson’s activity at hEFt, and it admits it should have stopped him performing breast surgery from late 2004.

‘But it has difficult questions to answer about its knowledge of ian paterson’s activity before that time.

‘hEFt also has to explain its delay in informing the private sector of its concerns, allowing ian paterson to go on treating (and harming) private patients.’

A hEFt spokesman told the health service Journal the trial would determine if the trust had a legal duty of care for private patients who were cared for independently of the Nhs.

he added: ‘spire is alleging that the trust is responsible for Mr paterson’s private practice and as such should be responsible for compensation to the as yet unsettled claims involving non-Nhs patients.’

Announcing his increased sentence last week, lady Justice hallett said paterson was motivated by ‘greed, self-aggrandisement and power’ and said patients had trusted the scot ‘implicitly’.

Diane green, 59, who was given two unnecessary double mastectomies by paterson, said it was ‘encouraging to see the courts listening to victims’.

But she added: ‘Eventually he will be out of prison.

‘his victims have a life sentence – what he did to them will never go away.’

Miss green and other victims are calling for a public inquiry into how paterson was not stopped sooner.

he was struck off last month.