Three NHS patients ‘mutilated’ by surgeon in a single week prompts shake-up at NHS trust

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. But in a letter to Mr Tooth, the trust’s medical director Erika Denton, revealed the review had raised concerns about long waits for some patients needing gall bladder surgery and made recommendations about “team working and learning from incidents”. He cut off that branch, he took the gall bladder, other branches and parts of the liver.” open image in gallery Paul Tooth is now forced to live with tubes going in and out of his body to recycle bile produced by his liver After complaining of pain, the surgeon took Mr Tooth back to surgery, but said “everything appeared normal”. “I know there is nothing I can do to change what I have been through, but I want everyone to know my story to help stop it from happening to anyone else.” Guy Forster, medical negligence expert at Irwin Mitchell who represented Mr Tooth, said: “Paul has been through a terrible ordeal and he now faces a future of uncertainty and the prospect of a possible liver transplant and further surgery which carries serious risks.” He added: “We are seeking reassurances that there has been a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of Paul’s injuries so that everything can be done as soon as possible to improve patient care and prevent anyone else from suffering the way Paul and the other two cases have.” open image in gallery The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust said the surgeon was now operating under supervision In October, the trust’s medical director Professor Erika Denton revealed she had asked the Royal College of Surgeons to carry out a review “in light of the knowledge of three cases of potentially serious concern involving the same surgeon”. “With regards to our responsibility to future patients, with the involvement of an external body, the trust has assured itself that there is no ongoing risk to patient safety and that the serious complications that you suffered is an unexpected outcome for this surgeon.” In a statement, Professor Denton said: “We have fully investigated the surgery Mr Tooth received while under our care and have since changed and strengthened our surgery processes to ensure that this will not happen again.” The trust said the surgeon was now carrying out similar surgeries under supervision and all actions and learning from the RCS review had been fully implemented.