‘I’m an NHS whistleblower. Patients are dying needlessly’

The number of deaths and patients seriously harmed due to alleged clinical negligence at a scandal-hit trust is “just the tip of the iceberg”, an NHS whistleblower has claimed.

Several hundred more cases are likely to come under Operation Bamber, a formal investigation into multiple deaths and injuries at the Royal Sussex County Hospital between 2015 and 2021, according to sources close to the inquiry.

The operation was initially launched in June 2023 after two consultant surgeons who reported concerns over surgical standards were dismissed by the University Hospital Sussex NHS trust (UHS), which runs the hospital. Police then expanded the operation to investigate 105 cases of alleged medical negligence but, insiders have said they expect that number to reach “many hundreds” the longer the inquiry goes on.

Michael Swinn, a Surrey-based consultant urological surgeon who blew the whistle on bad practice at his own trust, said he has been approached by senior clinical staff across the country, including Brighton, since publishing a book about his own experience. Some have blown the whistle on poor practice already, others are considering it and seeking advice.

Mr Swinn, 58, told inews: “The reports about Brighton say the police are looking at around 100 cases. I’m told it is many, many more. Potentially several hundred."

Sussex Police said it is continuing to investigate allegations of medical negligence relating to neurosurgery and general surgery at the Royal Sussex.

A spokesperson for the force said: “A number of cases from within the specified NHS departments and during the specified time period have been assessed and are forming part of the ongoing investigation… Sussex Police is committed to conducting a thorough and transparent investigation. Due to the complex nature of the enquiries, this is likely to take some time to complete.”

Among the cases forming part of the investigation is the death of Lewis Chilcott, 23, who suffered a fatal arterial haemorrhage after an alleged error in his tracheostomy led to infection. A review by the Royal College of Surgeons found that it was likely that the low position of the inserted tube caused the fatal damage.

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Source: inews, 2 September 2024