Trust reviewing 800 cases over child surgery failures

A large teaching trust has launched reviews of surgery on nearly 800 patients operated on by a children’s orthopaedic surgeon – and whether concerns raised 10 years ago could have prevented harm.

Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust said concerns were first raised about the surgeon’s work in 2015 and an external clinical review was carried out.

A new review by Verita will look at whether the 2015 recommendations “was acted upon appropriately and, if not, why”.

The surgeon, who has not been named, had their work restricted last year while a smaller external review was carried out into new concerns. They were suspended when this identified outcomes below expected standards in nine cases.

The BBC has reported that these involved complex hip surgery cases and found some of the children’s quality of life had been affected, including their mobility.

The trust announced that, following further findings, it has asked barrister Andrew Kennedy to chair a panel of expert clinicians reviewing the care of almost 700 patients who had planned surgery. It will also review an initial 100 adult and paediatric orthopaedic trauma cases.

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Source: HSJ, 24 March 2025