Ian Paterson: Rogue surgeon's hernia op 'caused a lot of upset'

A man who had an unnecessary hernia operation performed by disgraced surgeon Ian Paterson says it left him with anxiety and sleep problems.

Craig Timmins, 45, from Staffordshire, was informed last year surgery he had as a 19-year-old was not needed.

Mr Timmins, who runs a security fencing business, said the news "caused a lot of upset".

Paterson, a breast surgeon, was jailed in 2017 after carrying out dozens of needless operations on his patients.

"I've had anxiety issues and sleep problems since I found out about it. I have a lot of bad dreams about it," said Mr Timmins.

He and his wife are also concerned Paterson's surgery has left them unable to have children.

Mr Timmins' wife, Sarah, said: "That [fertility issues] had a massive, massive impact on us.

"Just knowing that he could have something to do with and then caused us so much heartache and not being able to have children."

"I just think he's a disgrace," Mr Timmins added, "...and what he's done to ladies in the past and other people, he should be locked away for life."

About 5,500 patients were recalled following an independent inquiry, some of whom did not previously know their surgery had been unnecessary, while 750 victims have already been awarded compensation.

Paterson also performed unrecognised cleavage sparing operations on cancer patients which meant they were in more danger of the cancer coming back.

It was announced last month, Spire Healthcare in the West Midlands, where Paterson practised, has proposed a new compensation fund for further victims.

In a letter to Mr Timmins from Spire Healthcare, seen by the BBC, it said he was referred to Paterson by his GP in 1995 with a suspected hernia.

An initial operation, by Paterson, to repair his hernia was carried out, but later reviews found the surgical technique used was not appropriate, which the letter states, would explain the need for further problems and the requirement for another surgery.

"Understandably your main area of concern is whether any surgery performed by Mr Paterson has had any bearing on the difficulties you are experiencing in having children," the letter reads.

"...It was unlikely that the surgery would have caused infertility issues," according to the letter, however it does "sincerely apologise" that Mr Timmins "underwent a surgical procedure that was not necessary and that you have suffered subsequent problems following the surgery that have resulted in a further operation."

Spire Healthcare said it wrote last year to 1,200 non breast cancer patients treated by Paterson, but not all would have come to harm.

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