Scandal-hit heart surgery unit warned for third time over ‘toxic’ culture

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Junior doctors have been prevented from returning to scandal hit heart surgery unit previously criticised over “toxic” culture, The Independent has learned. In a statement, Professor Geeta Menon, postgraduate dean for South London at Health Education England, said: “HEE carried out a review of cardiac surgery at St George’s University Hospital in July 2021 and concluded that further improvements were required to create a suitable learning environment for doctors in training. HEE is committed to ensuring high quality patient care and the best possible learning environment for postgraduate doctors at St George’s.” The Independent understands that a report issued in December, following the HEE visit, identified problems of “inappropriate behaviour”, poor team working from consultants and raised concerns the culture problems previously identified at the unit persisted. A spokesperson for St George’s said: “We continue to work with our cardiac surgery team to strengthen the unit and help create a positive learning environment where trainees can thrive, including taking steps to measure and improve the culture within the cardiac department.”