Care of 800 patients reviewed amid surgeon concerns

The care received by 800 patients at a world-renowned NHS hospital is to be reviewed by expert clinicians after a specialist surgeon was suspended.

Last month, it was reported the orthopaedic surgeon at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, had been suspended after concerns were raised by colleagues in October.

An initial review by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) revealed treatment provided to nine children was "below the standard we would expect".

The surgeon specialised in children, but also carried out emergency orthopaedic procedures on adults, the trust's chief executive Roland Sinker said.

The review will assess the treatment given to 700 patients who had planned operations, and another 100 adult and child patients who had emergency treatment.

Andrew Kennedy KC has been appointed by the trust to chair a panel of expert clinicians to undertake the external retrospective clinical review.

He said: "We will work tirelessly to examine all the cases within the scope of this review and to ensure that any shortcomings in care are identified as quickly as possible so that patients and families are fully informed and further consultations and treatment can be offered as appropriate."

The trust confirmed concerns were raised as early as 2015 about the work of the surgeon, who is not being named for legal reasons.

This was the subject of an external clinical review in 2016.

The surgeon's clinical practice was restricted last year as a precautionary measure and they have been co-operating with the trust since their suspension, it added.

CUH has commissioned specialist investigations company Verita to carry out an independent investigation into what was known about the surgeon's practice "and whether there were opportunities to have identified these issues sooner", it said.

Mr Sinker said: "We remain very sorry that this has happened and we apologise unreservedly to our patients and their families.

"We understand the distress and anxiety that families are experiencing and we want to do everything we can to support them through this period."

A designated family liaison officer has been appointed "as a point of continuity for patients and families during this time", he added.