Dr Yaser Jabbar: Mother says daughter, 11, had to use wheelchair after procedure with surgeon accused of ‘inappropriate’ operations

Published

4 months ago

September 13, 2024

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The mother of a young girl treated by a surgeon accused of carrying out “inappropriate and unnecessary” operations has told Sky News her daughter had to use a wheelchair for nearly two years after surgery.

Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) has launched an investigation into the cases of 721 children after an expert review found Dr Yaser Jabbar was alleged to have caused “serious harm” through “unacceptable” treatment, according to a lawyer acting for families of some of the young patients.

Now Claire Osborne, whose daughter Ella underwent corrective surgery on her leg by Dr Jabber in the summer of 2020, has called on a 2023 expert report by the Royal College of Surgeons to be made public.

It comes as Duabi’s CMC Hospital – where Dr Jabbar has recently worked – confirmed it had suspended the surgeon.

Ella was 11 years old when she had the operation under Dr Jabbar after she developed a condition called genu valgum, in which the knees tilt inward while the ankles remain apart. She also has multiple complex needs.

She had already undergone the same corrective procedure with a different doctor, but her recovery after the second operation was more painful and took longer.

“She just kept saying to me all the time, ‘Mum, it hurts, it hurts’. And the way she was walking was so strange. It was like her knees were overlapping and they were clicking for every step she took,” Ms Osborne said.

“At one point she would do 10 miles on the bike and it got to the point where she couldn’t even walk around a supermarket with me.”

Ella was also forced to rely on a wheelchair during this time, and Ms Osborne and her husband could also feel a screw from a plate inserted in Ella’s leg through her skin.

“Ella was just so miserable. She was in pain. You can feel it as a parent – you know how a child is normally and you know when there’s something wrong.”

Ms Osborne says she consistently raised concerns about her daughter’s recovery, with Dr Jabbar telling her in a follow-up appointment: “If I’m not worried, you shouldn’t be worried.”

After consulting a private surgeon, Ms Osborne asked for a second opinion, and soon after Ella had a third corrective surgery by another doctor at Great Ormond Street.

Ms Osborne said that the surgeon “called it a miraculous correction”.

“What she did, the angle at which she corrected Ella’s leg, was huge.”

Now, Ms Osborne is calling for a 2023 Royal College of Surgeons review – conducted before the review in which Ella’s initial operation was one of 721 cases examined – to be made public.

“Without knowing facts, without knowing what, why, where, when you’re still kind of in limbo. Because this report’s out there. You know, it says things, but you don’t know what,” she said.

“It’s frustrating because obviously if the hospital had known that things were going on prior to Ella being treated, maybe Ella could have been saved.

“Without knowing what the hospital knew from the report, we’ll never know.”

Of the 42 cases looked at as part of the GOSH probe so far, 22 children are believed to have come to harm as a result of operations Dr Jabbar carried out.

Ms Osborne has now set up a support group for other families who have been affected.

Amy Kirk, an associate at Fletchers Solicitors – a firm that is representing some of the families involved – said: “It’s really important the review is given to the families in full as they are already not feeling heard [and that] the report is released in a timely fashion and that a full investigation is done.

A spokesperson for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children said: “We know that the patients and families affected will be extremely distressed by the issues raised by the review we commissioned into our orthopedic service.

“This is not what they should expect from any service at our hospital. To all of them we wish to say we are deeply sorry.

“As we complete case reviews, the outcomes of these will be shared with the patient and their family, regardless of whether harm has been found or not.

“As we have said previously, we will share a summary of the report in our public board, but we will be sharing it first with our families.”

Dr Jabbar, who qualified from St George’s Hospital Medical School in London, was registered with a licence to practise until January of this year, according to the General Medical Council website.

GOSH said he had not worked there since 2022. The Sunday Times reported he only stepped down from his role last September after an 11-month sabbatical on full pay.

UK

Zebra died in Colchester Zoo after rhino ‘unintentionally punctured his stomach’

Published

2 hours ago

January 13, 2025

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Zebra died in Colchester Zoo after rhino 'unintentionally punctured his stomach'

The zebra that died in a zoo in Essex after an “incident” with a rhinoceros was killed after the larger animal unintentionally punctured its stomach.

Colchester Zoo had revealed over the weekend that a male zebra had died due to an “extremely rare” incident with a rhino, but it did not say how the animal’s death came about.

In an update, the zoo said a female rhino named Astrid had been sparring with her son Tayo in a mixed-species enclosure on Friday.

The rhino had “unfortunately” attempted to move the male zebra named Ziggy out of the way but in doing so “unintentionally punctured his stomach”, the zoo added.

The zebra died of his injuries a few minutes later.

Ziggy had been living “happily” with the other species in the enclosure, including the rhino, since November 2017, the zoo said.

It added in a statement: “In the light of these rare events, we review our care for the animals to minimise the risk of these incidents reoccurring.

“As a result, the animal care team will continue to closely monitor the animals’ behaviour in the coming weeks.

“These sorts of incidents are extremely rare and we are devastated by this loss, Ziggy was a much-loved animal who will be dearly missed.

“We would really like to thank our supporters for the well wishes at this difficult time and thank our fantastic animal care team who dealt with this very difficult situation extremely professionally.”

The zoo initially announced the zebra’s death on social media over the weekend, with some users claiming they witnessed what happened.

“I was there and I feel so bad for everyone,” one person wrote on Instagram.

“It was heart-breaking. The keepers did a great job handling it.”

Another said: “We knew it had to be something serious, however every member of staff handled it so well, especially now looking back knowing the circumstances.”

The two animals were kept in the zoo’s “Kingdom of the Wild” enclosure, which is also home to animals and birds, including an African crowned crane, an ostrich, a greater kudu and a reticulated giraffe.

The habitat was completed in 2001 and is comprised of an indoor building and outdoor paddock, according to the zoo’s website.

Its rhinos are the near-threatened southern white species and since the first ones arrived in 1972, seven calves have been born at the popular tourist attraction.

UK

Football fan who mocked dead player at Sheffield derby match banned and fined

Published

2 hours ago

January 13, 2025

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Football fan who mocked dead player at Sheffield derby match banned and fined

A football fan who mocked a dead player at a derby match has been banned and fined.

During a game between Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United, Brandon Pedryc typed out “Where’s Baldock” in large letters on his phone and waved it at rival fans during the Championship game at Bramall Lane on 11 November last year.

The message was a reference to the death of a former United player George Baldock, who died in Greece a month earlier at the age of 31, Sheffield Magistrates’ Court was told on Monday.

The 23-year-old, a Wednesday fan, said he was responding to being pelted by coins and a bottle, as well as being spat on by rival fans – a claim district judge Marcus Waite accepted.

But Judge Waite described his actions as a “moment of madness” and said they had caused “upset” to fans as well as “enormous distress to the family and friends” of the deceased player.

Pedryc has been fined £300, ordered to pay £205 in costs and surcharges, and given a football banning order for three years.

Speaking to the defendant, the judge said: “You may have been provoked but you reacted by raising the stakes”, adding he had “risked greater disorder” in the highly charged environment of the derby.

Judge Waite went on to say Pedryc had done the right thing, approaching a police officer in Sheffield city centre within an hour of the incident once he realised his actions had gone viral on social media.

The court heard that while the officer made note of what Pedryc admitted to, he did not think a crime had been committed.

After a review by a more senior officer, Pedryc was arrested.

Pedryc told interviewing officers it had been a “sick joke, nothing more” and an attempt to “wind up” the United fans.

Judge Waite said he had received a lengthy letter from Pedryc who he accepted was “thoroughly remorseful”.

Pedryc, who lives in Barnsley, admitted displaying writing, a sign or other visible representation which was threatening or abusive within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress.

Alex Nolan, defending, told the court his client had already lost one £30,000 job because of the incident, but he had secured other employment.

Baldock had been a Greek international.

He was found dead in his swimming pool in Athens, in October.

He had made 219 appearances for the Blades over seven seasons before leaving last year for Greek side Panathinaikos.

UK

Scotland’s former first minister Nicola Sturgeon splits from husband

Published

12 hours ago

January 13, 2025

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Scotland's former first minister Nicola Sturgeon splits from husband

Scotland’s former first minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced she has split from her husband, Peter Murrell.

Ms Sturgeon and Ms Murrell met via the SNP and first became a couple in 2003. They later married in July 2010 at Oran Mor in Glasgow.

In a statement posted to Instagram stories, she wrote: “With a heavy heart I am confirming that Peter and I have decided to end our marriage.

“To all intents and purposes we have been separated for some time now and feel it is time to bring others up to speed with where we are.

“It goes without saying that we still care deeply for each other, and always will.

“We will be making no further comment.”

Ms Sturgeon unexpectedly announced she was stepping down as Scotland’s first minister and SNP leader in February 2023 after succeeding Alex Salmond following the independence referendum in 2014.

Mr Murrell, who had been SNP chief executive since 2001, resigned from his post the following month after taking responsibility for misleading the media over party membership numbers amid the leadership race, which Humza Yousaf went on to win.

At the time, he said: “While there was no intent to mislead, I accept that this has been the outcome.”

In April 2023, Mr Murrell was arrested as part of a probe into the SNP’s funding and finances. He was later charged with embezzling SNP funds in April last year.

Ms Sturgeon and ex-party treasurer MSP Colin Beattie have also been arrested and released without charge as part of Police Scotland’s long-running Operation Branchform.

The probe, which has been ongoing since July 2021, is linked to the spending of around £600,000 raised by SNP supporters to be earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning.

In September, it emerged senior officers had contacted the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) the month before for “advice and guidance” on the next steps in the investigation.

Meantime, Ms Sturgeon continues to deny any wrongdoing.

In an interview last month, the Glasgow Southside MSP said she knew “nothing more” about the inquiry and was getting on with life “as best I can at the moment”.