Ian Paterson documentary shows need for change in law say campaigners - The Solihull Observer

Ian Paterson documentary shows need for change in law say campaigners

Solihull Editorial 15th Jun, 2022   0

A SHOCKING documentary into the practices of Ian Paterson shows why the law needs to change around private healthcare – say campaigners.

Bodies of Evidence: The Butcher Surgeon told the stories of some of Paterson’s victims and the unnecessary treatments he put them through.

Paterson is currently serving a 20-year jail sentence after being convicted in 2017 of 17 counts of wounding with intent and three counts of unlawful wounding against ten patients.

The consultant breast surgeon, whose victims run into hundreds, worked at hospitals run by the Heart of England NHS Trust (HEFT) and also practised privately at Bupa hospitals in Solihull and Sutton Coldfield, latterly run by Spire Healthcare.




The documentary also televised whistleblower Hemant Ingle’s story and how he first raised concerns about Paterson.

In the documentary Mr Ingle described a moment where Paterson asked him to carry out a mastectomy and reconstruction on a patient.


Mr Ingle said after looking at histology report he questioned why he was being asked to carry out the surgery if there was no cancer.

Following the documentary Sarah Jane Downing, the founder of the support group for convicted former breast surgeon Ian Paterson’s private patients, said: “Even now as we work on what must be done to protect the safety of other patients and ways to try to ensure that there can never be another Paterson we are still unable to rest easy.

“Without these answers and iron clad changes to the law governing the private healthcare sector as well as the NHS we remain fearful that another Paterson could reap the benefit of a situation ripe for corruption.”

Kashmir Uppal of Shoosmiths LLP – who has represented Paterson’s clients in seeking justice – said: “The documentary clearly demonstrated why the law needs to be changed to make private hospitals responsible for the acts of the private doctors that are given practising privileges at their hospitals.

“It is disappointing that more than two years after the report from Right Reverend Graham James, Bishop of Norwich, nothing has changed.”

Linda Millband, head of clinical negligence at Thompsons Solicitors, said: “As part of our ongoing Patients Before Profits campaign, we want to make sure that private healthcare companies, like Spire, are held to the same standards and obligations of transparency, safety and accountability as the NHS.

“No healthcare provider should be able to get away with having a patient poorly treated ‘on their watch’ and still be able to profit from it.”

Ms Millband also urged anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Ian Paterson, at any time, to come forward and seek compensation for their injuries.

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