Latest news with #IanPaterson
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Daughter of Ian Paterson patient: 'My mum was robbed of a life with her family'
A woman who was operated on by jailed surgeon Ian Paterson was "robbed of a life with her husband and children," an inquest has Cordon, who lived in Kingstanding, Birmingham, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33 and died six years later in November death is one of 63 to be examined at inquests, to determine whether she died an unnatural death as a result of Paterson's a statement read by the coroner, Judge Richard Foster, Mrs Cordon's daughter Bernice Cordon described her as "the bravest, most caring woman to walk this earth". "She had a heart full of love and a belly full of fire," she said."She was the life and soul of the party. Even in the last few days she was putting everything before herself."Ms Cordon said her mother enjoyed her job at Good Hope Hospital, but that her passion was always her family, particularly her children."She gave us all the attention we needed, no matter how dark her days were with illness," her statement read."It was her worst fear too. As time came on, it became apparent she would be leaving the one thing she lived for." Ms Cordon said her mother's relationship with her father was incredible."She was robbed of a life with her husband and children," her statement said."She will never know what growing old feels like or to be a grandmother."Yvonne Cordon, whose maiden name was Miles, was born in Northern Ireland on 11 July 1961, with Judge Foster reflecting that she would have grown up during The Troubles. Video-link evidence The inquest heard that she was a patient at Good Hope Hospital, an NHS hospital in Sutton Coldfield, after being referred to Ian Paterson by her GP due to a lump being found in her tissue and five lymph nodes were later removed, which led to a diagnosis of grade-three breast carcinoma, which had spread to one of the lymph nodes. The cancer later spread to her bones and lungs. She underwent six rounds of chemotherapy, as well as radiotherapy, and was prescribed a hormone therapy drug called Tamoxifen. Ian Paterson was due to give evidence via video-link on Monday but was unable to, with the inquest told there were internet connection issues at the was sentenced to 20 years in jail in 2017, after being convicted of wounding patients with botched and unnecessary operations, but will be eligible for release in inquest continues. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Ian Paterson: Coroner rejects surgeon's opioid claim
A coroner has rejected a suggestion by jailed breast surgeon Ian Paterson that one of his patients died of an opioid disgraced doctor told an inquest into the death of Elaine Morris on Tuesday that he was concerned her official cause of death - carcinomatosis and breast carcinoma - was told the inquest "I'm concerned she died of opiate overdose", but two oncologists acting as experts to the inquests disagreed with Paterson's hearing their evidence on Wednesday, judge Richard Foster said he could "safely reject opioid toxicity" as the cause of death of the 45-year-old from Shirley, West Midlands. Paterson, who treated thousands of women at hospitals in the West Midlands, had told the inquest on Tuesday that Ms Morris's reported drowsiness in her medical notes suggested she was being overdosed on inquest heard that Ms Morris was being administered two opioids for pain relief: morphine sulphate tablets (MST) and Oramorph. Her medical notes showed her being introduced to MST with 10mg sachets, being increased to 30mg and then reduced to 20mg due to "sleepiness".The oncologists, Prof David Dodwell and Prof Pat Price, agreed that these were "entry level doses", with some patients being given up to 100mg or 150mg of led them to believe she not had died of opioid toxicity, which the coroner then rejected as a potential cause of death. Risks of radiotherapy Elaine Morris's inquest is one of 63 into the deaths of Ian Paterson's former patients, to determine whether they died unnatural deaths. This includes determining whether Paterson left any breast tissue behind during surgery which may have disgraced surgeon was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2017, after being convicted of wounding patients with botched and unnecessary operations, but will be eligible for release in Morris died in 2002, aged 45, having been diagnosed with breast cancer aged inquest heard that she had suffered from severe epilepsy and cerebral palsy, as well as learning difficulties. Oncologist Dr Talaat Latief had deemed radiotherapy unsafe for her, due to her inability to lie still and be in a room on her own, and claimed she would be unable to withstand the side-effects of Price and Prof Dodwell both agreed that radiotherapy was a "non-starter" for Ms Morris, with Prof Price saying chemotherapy would have been "a high risk for a small benefit" for Prof Dodwell expressed concern that Paterson performed surgery on Ms Morris when radiotherapy was never going to be an option for her."He's an experienced breast surgeon, he knows full well radiotherapy would be required," he told the performed three surgeries on Ms Morris while she was a private patient with Spire Healthcare: a wide local excision on her right breast in September 1999, a diagnostic excision biopsy in January 2000, before performing a complete mastectomy in November 2000. The inquest had also raised the question as to whether Paterson performing a mastectomy prior to November 2000 could have improved Ms Morris's a written report, Prof Price said: "In my opinion earlier mastectomy would not have altered the natural history of the disease and did not contribute to Ms Morris's demise, which was due to her having poor biology breast cancer and not being able to receive chemotherapy or radiotherapy due to her comorbidities."However, at the inquest, both professors said they would defer to surgical experts on questions regarding the conclusion of her written report, Prof Price said: "In terms of causation, in this individual case the death appears to have been due to the extremely aggressive biology of Ms Morris' tumour and her inability to receive chemotherapy and radiotherapy due to her comorbidities and inability to achieve control of her local disease."She added: "In my opinion, I can find no evidence that the treatment Ms Morris received from Mr Paterson or any other clinician more than minimally, negligibly or trivially contributed to her death." Prof Price, who is instructed by Spire Healthcare in 11 cases involving Paterson at the company's private hospitals, had also been asked by the solicitors to the inquest to conduct a review of reports made by the medical experts on the inquests' multi-disciplinary team (MDT). It came after Paterson raised concerns at the end of last year that one of the experts had shown bias and that their evidence should be excluded, in all of the cases not involving Spire cited an email from one of the MDT experts, professor and consultant breast surgeon Mike Dixon, in which he wrote to another member: "We need to find some way though of exposing Paterson as a liar and an incompetent surgeon."While the email was "unfortunate, inappropriate and clumsy", Judge Foster said, it was not by itself indicative of actual or unconscious this, he concluded it was best that Professor Dixon withdraw from the MDT for the purposes of the ongoing inquiries. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
ITV News
03-06-2025
- Health
- ITV News
Who is Ian Paterson the butcher surgeon and what did he do?
An ITV documentary, Bodies of Evidence: The Butcher Surgeon, uncovers the shocking story of Ian Paterson and his victims. Paterson, who was based in Birmingham, is currently serving a 20-year sentence for his crimes, after carrying out needless operations over a 14-year period. While working as a breast surgeon consultant, he was diagnosing cancer when there wasn't any and cutting patients open for no reason. He was found guilty in 2017 of 17 counts of wounding with intent and three counts of unlawful wounding. This film from the ITV Exposure strand talks to victims, fellow doctors and a key whistleblower to tell the extraordinary story of how the system allowed Paterson to perform unnecessary and damaging surgery on so many for so long. Here's a guide to who Ian Paterson is and how he performed damaging surgeries: Who is Ian Paterson? The breast surgeon, 62, is currently serving 20 years for his 14-year campaign of botched operations he carried out in the West Midlands. Paterson, who is due to be freed in 2027, was jailed in 2017 for wounding with intent and unlawfully wounding nine women and one man he treated between 1997 and 2011. He convinced cancer patients to undergo operations in NHS and private hospitals by inventing or exaggerating the risks of tumours to earn extra cash and maintain a successful reputation. Where did Ian Paterson work? Paterson was a consultant breast surgeon in the West Midlands, working in both NHS and private practice at Heartlands Hospital, Solihull Hospital, Good Hope Hospital, Spire Hospital Parkway and Spire Hospital Little Aston. When was Ian Paterson suspended? Ian Paterson was not suspended from carrying out his NHS or private work until 2011. Whistleblowers said they reported concerns about Paterson years before this. What is the Paterson inquiry? The Paterson inquiry investigated how the surgeon was able to carry out unnecessary surgeries undetected for so many years. In 2020 it found "patients were let down over many years" by the NHS and private hospitals and opportunities to stop Paterson were "missed, time after time". Inquiry chairman the Rt Rev Graham James, Bishop of Norwich, said there was a culture of "avoidance and denial", which allowed the breast surgeon to carry out unnecessary and botched operations on hundreds of women. The inquiry recommended that the NHS Trust, which employed Paterson, and private health firm Spire Healthcare recall all of Paterson's patients. How many victims did Ian Paterson have? A total of 675 out of 1,207 women who underwent the unregulated treatment had died by 2017. More than 750 victims have already successfully claimed after receiving unapproved and life-threatening surgery from Paterson, who treated more than 11,000 patients. Will they get compensation? Public and private hospitals Paterson worked for have already paid out millions of pounds to those he operated on and their families. Spire Healthcare, which runs the private hospitals where Paterson operated, has paid out £13.1 million in compensation and set aside an additional £4.6 million for "future costs". Spire Healthcare told ITV News: 'An additional £4.6m has been set aside to complete the ongoing patient reviews and settle future claims and costs. Spire continually reviews the level of the fund's provision, which is dependent on the amount and size of claims received and any new information gained.' The latest investigations Five investigations into Patterson's practices have been conducted following two independent reports, a criminal trial, and one government inquiry. The most recent, which has been suspended, is examining the deaths of 62 women who were operated on by Paterson and later died of breast cancer. How much will it cost? Despite the fact that the inquests are due to finish in 2026, the Birmingham City Council is allocating funding until 2028. More than £2.5 million has already been spent. The costs all relate to the administration of the inquests, including fees for the coroner, legal counsel, solicitors and legal teams representing the NHS. What has happened at the inquests into the deaths of his patients? Ian Paterson refused to attend the first of more than 60 inquests touching on the deaths of his former patients because he believes the coroner's investigation is "biased", the court has been told. The breast surgeon was ordered by coroner Richard Foster to appear remotely at Birmingham and Solihull Coroner's Court to give evidence at the inquest of Chloe Nikitas, who died at the age of 43 in April 2008. Mr Foster issued a ruling on the 21st October saying he could 'find no reason' why Paterson could not attend the inquest and give evidence remotely from prison, and said it was 'disappointing' to the families of the victims that he had decided not to appear. Paterson had been accused of attempting to delay the hearings after lodging an application to have his witness summons revoked the day before the first inquest was due to start on October 10. He cited health concerns, a lack of legal representation, and 'inadequate facilities to prepare.' The first inquest into the death of one of Paterson's patients heard on the 22nd October that a mother who was given a "cleavage-sparing" mastectomy then had her breast cancer return. Chloe Nikitas, an environmental consultant from Tamworth, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 and was treated by the West Midlands"butcher" surgeon. He told her he could perform a mastectomy, which would leave some skin behind to ensure her cleavage would look normal. She then discovered a lump in the same breast in 2005, which was the same type of cancer she had three years earlier. That cancer diagnosis was terminal, and she died at the age of 43 at the Priory Hospital in April 2008. The inquest into the death of Ms Nikitas is the first of 62 into the deaths of Paterson's former patients scheduled to be heard at Birmingham and Solihull Coroner's Court over the next eight months. The second inquest into the death of another of Paterson's victims opened on the 29th of October. Elaine Turbill, who was 63 and from Solihull, was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy carried out by Paterson the following month. The inquest in Birmingham heard that Elaine, who worked as a legal secretary, had been married for 40 years and had two children. In a statement, her daughter Gemma said her mother was a "kind, loving and friendly person whose smile lit up a room. She enjoyed going to church, cooking and gardening and loved family trips to Mablethorpe to "smell the sea air". Elaine Turbill died in 2017. Her daughter said seven years on, the pain never goes away. She said she feels her mother's death could have been prevented, which would have given her the opportunity to see her second grandchild. These inquests are currently suspended, and not a single inquest has been heard so far this year, with several hearings cancelled. Birmingham City Council has been contacted for a response.
BBC News
03-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Two more inquests open for jailed surgeon Ian Paterson's patients
A further two inquests have been opened into the deaths of former patients of jailed surgeon Ian Paterson, bringing the total number of inquests to coroner, Judge Richard Foster, opened the inquests into the deaths of Judith Ingham, aged 60, and Pearl Tatlow, 75, on Tuesday morning. Judge Foster then adjourned the two inquests, to be heard either later in 2025 or in Paterson was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2017, after being convicted of wounding patients with botched and unnecessary operations. The inquests are to determine whether the women died an unnatural death as a result of Paterson's actions. The inquests will include determining whether any of the former patients had so-called cleavage-sparing mastectomies from Paterson, where some breast tissue was retained.A previous additional inquest into the death of Christine Gould, a kitchen assistant from Solihull, was closed after the inquest concluded that she was not operated on by Paterson and died of natural is known to have treated thousands of patients at hospitals in the West Midlands. On Tuesday, the inquest heard that Mrs Ingham was born in Leeds and was a chartered accountant, before she died of metastatic breast cancer at home in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, on 20 March 2022. Mrs Tatlow, a retired secretary from Solihull who had been widowed, died in a hospice in Birmingham on 28 July 2002 of carcinomatosis and carcinoma of the right Ingham's husband and a family member for Mrs Tatlow were present for the inquest openings via Judge Foster opened and adjourned the inquests into Mrs Ingham and Mrs Tatlow, the coroner returned to the inquest of Elaine Morris. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Independent
03-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Further two inquests into deaths of rogue breast surgeon's ex-patients opened
A further two inquests have been opened and adjourned into the deaths of former patients of disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson. Paterson is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being found to have carried out unnecessary and unapproved procedures on more than 1,000 breast cancer patients over 14 years. The consultant breast surgeon, who was employed by the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust and practised in the independent sector at Spire Parkway and Spire Little Aston, all in Birmingham between 1997 and 2011, was convicted of 17 counts of wounding with intent and three counts of unlawful wounding and sentenced in 2017. A series of inquests examining the deaths of 62 former patients of Paterson, which may have been unnatural, began at Birmingham Coroner's Court in October last year with judge Richard Foster presiding over them. On Tuesday, the coroner opened two further inquests into the deaths of Judith Ingham, 60, and Pearl Tatlow, 75, and adjourned them to be heard sometime later in the year or early 2026. The court was told Mrs Ingham was born in Leeds and was a chartered accountant before she died of metastatic breast cancer at home in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, on March 20 2022. Mrs Tatlow, a retired secretary from Solihull, died in a hospice in Birmingham on July 28 2002 of carcinomatosis and carcinoma of the right breast. The series of hearings were paused at the end of last year after Paterson raised concerns that one of the medical experts on the inquests' multidisciplinary team (MDT), which reviewed cases where former patients of his had died, had shown bias and that their evidence should be excluded. He cited an email from one of the MDT experts, professor and consultant breast surgeon Mike Dixon, in which he wrote to another member: 'We need to find some way though of exposing Paterson as a liar and an incompetent surgeon.' While the email was 'unfortunate, inappropriate and clumsy', Judge Foster said, it was not by itself indicative of actual or unconscious bias. Despite this, he concluded it was best that Professor Dixon withdraw from the MDT for the purposes of the ongoing inquiries. The hearings continued on Monday with the inquest of Elaine Morris, who died on May 9 2002 aged 45. Ms Morris, who suffered severe epilepsy and cerebral palsy, was a wheelchair user and cared for by her mother at their home in Shirley, near Solihull, before she died, the hearing was told. She had been referred to see Paterson in August 1999 by her GP after complaining of pain and a lump in her right breast when she was 42. No next of kin had been found for Ms Morris, the coroner said. The hearing continues.
