Mother of girl operated on 17 times by now-suspended surgeon fears she may never walk again
The mother of a young girl operated on 17 times by a now-suspended surgeon has told Sky News she’s “angry and so upset” and fears her daughter may never walk again.
Her child is only eight years old and now needs further surgery, including a hip replacement.
She was one of nine patients whose treatment fell below the expected standard at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.
The Department of Health told Sky News the situation is “incredibly concerning”.
The little girl’s case was uncovered following an external review into the specialist paediatric surgeon who has since been suspended.
Sky’s Laura Bundock spoke to the girl’s mum (R), who has asked not to be named
The child was born with hip dysplasia, a condition affecting the hip socket, which can usually be fixed. But issues with her operations have left her using a wheelchair and crutches.
Her mother, who’s asked not to be named, said: “It’s like a big limp. She is not stable and can’t balance on that leg, so she always has to have an aide with her because she would fall over and hurt herself.”
Notes given to the family list a catalogue of serious issues involving the surgeon’s treatment, including “problems with both judgement and technique”.
Cambridge University Hospitals Trust is now reviewing 800 patients treated by the same surgeon.
Of these, 700 are children who underwent planned orthopaedic surgery. Another 100 are patients who received emergency trauma surgery.
Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. File pic: PA
What’s troubling the family now is that concerns were first raised about the surgeon a decade ago.
The mother said: “My daughter wasn’t born until 2016, so had the trust acted on this correctly, my daughter probably would never have seen that consultant and she would have probably been fine.”
An independent external investigation team is assessing whether issues could have been addressed earlier.
Sky News has spoken to several clinicians working at Addenbrooke’s. One is so concerned that they’ve contacted Health Secretary Wes Streeting, claiming the damage caused was “all avoidable” and that “many lives have been ruined”.
Read more on Sky News:
Putin says US is serious about Greenland
European allies not united on armed deployment in Ukraine
Woman charged with stalking McCann family
Tammy Harrison was operated on by the now-suspended surgeon
‘The pain was all the time’
Tammy Harrison is 12 years old and has cerebral palsy. She was also operated on by the now-suspended surgeon.
There’s no evidence of any wrongdoing yet, but one of her operations didn’t work and left her in agonising pain.
“It felt like I was being stabbed. The pain was all the time, I couldn’t move and I couldn’t even get out of bed,” Tammy said.
She’s now unable to sit on the floor, and her legs are different lengths.
Her mum, Lynn, said she became worried about her care shortly after the operation.
Tammy’s mother Lynn Harrison
She said: “The pain level wasn’t deteriorating. It just seemed like she was getting worse. And at the six-week review, I asked, why is she still in so much pain? And it was just brushed underneath her carpet.”
Cambridge University Hospitals say they’re deeply sorry and will do everything they can to support families and patients.
Lawyers representing one of the families say the numbers potentially impacted are “staggering”.
Medical negligence solicitor at Osborne Law, Jodi Newton, said: “It’s clearly shocking in terms of the types of patients involved, in that most of those are children, and numbers – what we don’t know is whether there is going to be more patients than those already identified. It could be in its thousands.”
Families are now anxiously waiting for answers and the truth about their children’s treatment.
‘I wish I had spoken up more’
Lynn Harrison said: “I’m glad it’s come to light, and I wasn’t being an overprotective mum.
“But I am angry. I wish I had spoken up more and pushed further because other patients might not have had to suffer.”
Martin Lewis says motorists who were mis-sold car finance are likely to receive “hundreds, not thousands of pounds” – with regulators launching a consultation on a new compensation scheme.
The founder of MoneySavingExpert.com believes it is “very likely” that about 40% of Britons who entered personal contact purchase or hire purchase agreements between 2007 and 2021 will be eligible for payouts.
“Discretionary commission arrangements” saw brokers and dealers charge higher levels of interest so they could receive more commission, without telling consumers.
Pics: PA
Speaking to Sky News Radio’s Faye Rowlands, Lewis said: “Very rarely will it be thousands of pounds unless you have more than one car finance deal.
“So up to about a maximum of £950 per car finance deal where you are due compensation.”
Lewis explained that consumers who believe they may have been affected should check whether they had a discretionary commission arrangement by writing to their car finance company.
However, the personal finance guru warned against using a claims firm.
“They’re hardly going to do anything for you and you might get the money paid to you automatically anyway, in which case you’re giving them 30% for nothing,” he added.
Read more: How to tell if you’ve been mis-sold car finance
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Who’s eligible for payout after car finance scandal?
Yesterday, the Financial Conduct Authority said its review of the past use of motor finance “has shown that many firms were not complying with the law or our disclosure rules that were in force when they sold loans to consumers”.
The FCA’s statement added that those affected “should be appropriately compensated in an orderly, consistent and efficient way”.
Lewis told Sky News that the consultation will launch in October – and will take six weeks.
“We expect payouts to come in 2026, assuming this will happen and it’s very likely to happen,” he said.
“As for exactly how will work, it hasn’t decided yet. Firms will have to contact people, although there is an issue about them having destroyed some of the data for older claims.”
He believes claims will either be paid automatically – or affected consumers will need to opt in and apply to get compensation back.
Read more from Sky News:
Hamas ‘ready’ to deliver aid to hostages
Oasis ‘saddened’ after man dies at concert
The FCA estimates the cost of any scheme – including compensation and administrative costs – to be no lower than £9bn.
But in a video on X, Lewis said that millions of people are likely to be due a share of up to £18bn.
The regulator’s announcement comes after the Supreme Court ruled on a separate, but similar, case on Friday.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike