Norfolk and Norwich Hospital: 'Significant concerns' over botched ops

The decision-making of a surgeon whose mistakes permanently disabled two patients raises "significant concerns", a review has found.

Lucy Wilson and Paul Tooth were injured within days of each other during gall bladder surgery at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital last year.

A Royal College of Surgeons report said it was "difficult to understand" why the doctor failed to ask for help.

The hospital said it had fully investigated the incidents.

Mother-of-two Mrs Wilson, 33, previously told the BBC she could no longer take care of herself since too much of her gall bladder was removed in January 2020.

She told the BBC: "I'm just waiting to die. I'm just sitting in my chair. I don't do anything. I'm just waiting to die, I have no life left."

Mr Tooth, an RAF veteran, said he was left "mutilated" and now required two drains attached to his abdomen to manage the bile leaking from his injury.

Not only was his gallbladder removed, but also his bile duct and hepatic duct, and part of his liver was damaged.

Both patients were transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge for repair surgery, but were told the damage could not be reversed.

An operation involving a third patient in the same week was also investigated but details have not emerged.

The surgeon, who the BBC is not naming pending the outcome of a General Medical Council investigation, had restrictions placed on them after the incidents.

The doctor resumed biliary tract surgery in June last year, with a consultant surgeon to be available immediately, if required.

The latest report - which refers to the doctor as Surgeon A - said two bile duct injuries out of more than 200 operations in the past two years was "not an unacceptably high number".

However, the review team added that in two cases - believed to be those of Mrs Wilson and Mr Tooth - the complications that arose were "hugely significant".

"[The review team] had significant concerns regarding Surgeon A's intraoperative decision-making in these two cases," it added.

"[The surgeon] had failed to recognise that an alternative strategy was required and the need to consult with a consultant surgeon colleague.

"It was the opinion of the review team that this was a short-coming in respect of team working and in respect of the intraoperative care provided."

It was "reassured" that the surgeon had accepted that their recognition of complications was "not optimal", and that they would seek help from colleagues.

It set out urgent recommendations to address patient safety risks, including a training and support plan.

Responding to the "disappointing" report, Mr Tooth told the BBC: "To us it is a problem that a surgeon hasn't got the ability to self-regulate and know when to stop.

"It's a character trait that should not be apparent in a position that [the surgeon] was in."

Prof Erika Denton, medical director at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, said: "We offer our continued apologies to the patients who experienced complications during their surgery last year, and have fully investigated.

"We have changed and strengthened our surgery processes to ensure this won't happen again, including setting up a new, dedicated 'hot gall bladder' surgical list for patients who need urgent treatment and introducing additional quality audits."

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