Great Ormond Street reviews 700 children treated by ex-surgeon

Great Ormond Street Hospital is currently conducting a thorough examination of over 700 patient cases following worries raised about a previous surgeon.

The hospital reported that out of 39 cases analyzed, 22 children experienced some level of harm. They stated that they are taking these concerns very seriously.

Dr. Yaser Jabbar, an orthopedic surgeon, treated 721 patients at the hospital's lower limb reconstruction service from 2017 until he resigned in September of last year.

The Sunday Times was the first to report on the review, and they also mentioned that they had seen a private report from the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) that criticized the overall atmosphere at GOSH.

Elizabeth Maliakal, a lawyer specializing in cases of medical malpractice, is currently advocating for several families whose children have suffered nerve and muscle injuries.

"We work with a patient who had a surgery to amputate his lower leg. We also work with clients who have permanent physical abnormalities due to surgeries that were not needed," she informed the BBC.

GOSH stated that they have reached out to all 721 patients or their families multiple times and will keep in contact throughout the review.

The hospital mentioned that it had requested the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) to assess the broader pediatric orthopedic service next year. This decision was made in response to issues raised by both patients' families and staff.

During its assessment, the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) expressed worries about a previous doctor and other aspects of the service. This led Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) to begin patient evaluations starting in April of this year, according to the hospital.

This procedure will take 18 months starting in May and will be carried out by five outside pediatric orthopedic surgical consultants, according to GOSH.

Out of the 39 cases that have been examined, 22 children have been determined to have been hurt. Nine were identified as experiencing "low/moderate" harm, while 13 were classified as having "severe harm" that could lead to long-term injuries.

Furthermore, a senior nurse and paediatrician have reviewed 456 cases and determined that they do not require immediate attention.

A representative from GOSH stated that the hospital is dedicated to "learning from each patient we care for and being honest with our families when our care does not meet our high expectations".

They stated: "We have reached out to all patients and families affected, and have spoken openly with them about their cases as part of our responsibility to be transparent."

We want to apologize sincerely to all of them.

A leaked version of the RCS report, which was viewed by the Sunday Times, reportedly discovered that a leg-straightening and lengthening procedure performed by Mr. Jabbar on a six-year-old boy was deemed "wrong and inappropriate."

The parents of the boy said to the newspaper that after the operation they were worried that something was not right. When they brought it up to Mr. Jabbar, he didn't take their concerns seriously.

According to the Sunday Times, when they consulted other experts for additional thoughts, it was discovered that the frame chosen for the elongation procedure was incorrect.

A few days later, the brace started to feel shaky and my child was in a great deal of discomfort," explained the father. "You could sense the bone in his leg, it seemed to be in the wrong place and was poking out in the wrong direction."

The report from the RCS, which has not been viewed by BBC News, reportedly raised concerns about the hospital's lower limb reconstruction service, stating it is not safe for patients and lacks the capacity to meet the demand. It also described the orthopaedic department as not functioning effectively.

GOSH did not disclose all the details of the findings, but acknowledged them and stated that they are implementing all the suggestions.

The BBC has reached out to Mr. Jabbar for a statement, but he has not replied yet.

According to the Sunday Times, the RCS report has expressed worries about the hospital managers not taking action when staff members reported concerns about Mr. Jabbar's behavior within six months of his employment in 2017.

GOSH reported that it was only in 2022 that senior managers at the trust learned about the concerns. They mentioned that even after conducting extensive investigations, they were unable to find any records of staff raising concerns before this time.

GOSH announced that within 18 days of senior managers being informed, they had started an external review by RCS.

According to the medical register, Mr. Jabbar has not been authorized to work as a doctor in the UK since January 8th. It is believed that he is currently practicing medicine in Dubai.