Inappropriate cancer patient care forces hospital to apologise

An NHS trust has sent letters of apology to cancer patients who were harmed due to the care they received from a consultant surgeon. The trust suspended the urologist in December 2013 prior to an investigation that found that 27 patients who were being treated for bladder or prostate cancer had been mistreated by him. He was later fired, and the General Medical Council is undertaking their own investigation into the alleged medical malpractice.

The review concerned 1,200 cancer patients who were in the doctor’s care between 2006 and 2013. As well as 27 patients who “came to harm” due to his care, five of whom have subsequently died, a small number of patients received treatment that was considered to be below hospital standards, although these individuals were not harmed as a result.

A spokesperson said that all of the patients whose care had been reviewed were sent a letter, with written apologies sent to those who were found to have suffered harm. He also said that “it wouldn’t be correct to say” those who died, did so as a result of their treatment. The review was instigated after a group of nurses and a doctor raised concerns and was said to have been an “upsetting experience” for all involved.

Any patient who has suffered from medical negligence may be in a position to seek recompense through legal channels. Any compensation for misdiagnosis, negligence, failure to diagnose, doctor error or other injury will be based on expenses, physical damage, or any other consequences that have occurred due to their experience.

Source: Essex County Standard, “Trust apology after surgeon sacked“, Oct. 16, 2014