HEALTH secretary Matt Hancock says recommendations from this week’s Paterson inquiry report will be implemented where the government considers them ‘necessary’.
The inquiry into the lessons from the scandal of convicted breast surgeon Ian Paterson, led by Right Reverend Graham James, Bishop of Norwich, reported its findings on Tuesday (February 4).
As we reported, the inquiry found a private health care system which was dysfunctional and needing better regulation.
Bishop James found there was a ‘culture of avoidance and denial’ which had enabled Paterson to carry out botched and unnecessary surgery on hundreds of women.
The independent inquiry has recommended all patients, who were treated at Spire Parkway private hospital (formerly Bupa) and the NHS, are recalled for re-assessment.
The inquiry referred one colleague of Paterson to the police and five other people to health watchdogs.
Matt Hancock MP speaks at Health and Social Care questions in the House of CommonsMr Hancock told BBC Breakfast: “There’s a whole series of recommendations but the central one is about information-sharing because the authorities that inspect different parts of the health system, the information wasn’t being shared properly.
“That absolutely can be fixed, it will be fixed.
“We will look at all the recommendations that the report made and make sure we do what’s necessary.
“There’s a whole series, they will change at different paces, but I think it’s reasonable to commit to giving an update, certainly in a year’s time, that we should have made all the changes that we think are necessary from the report.”
He told the House of Commons on Tuesday: “The public should be able to trust that a health professional will never again be allowed to place personal gain or advancement over the best interests of his or her patients whether care is funded by the NHS or privately.
“It is therefore essential that the whole of the health sector responds quickly and effectively to the lessons of this inquiry.
“The government will give a thorough and detailed consideration of their findings over the coming weeks.
“We expect now for all the relevant agencies and organisations both nationally and locally, and across the whole healthcare sector, to give this report urgent and thorough attention.
“Once that work is done, the relevant agencies will decide what steps to take next.”
Solihull fashion historian Sarah Jane Downing, who runs a support group for Paterson victims, told us: “The recommendations were good and a couple stood out. The recommendation for the regulation of insurance for patients in cases like this is really good and it’s in line with a petition I started for compensation years ago.
“The recommendation to introduce a short period of time for patients to reflect on their diagnosis and treatment options before giving their consent to surgery is very good and it’s going to be applicable to other situation.
“What comes next is to make sure the government takes on the recommendations and they are adhered to. I think most people are hopeful.
“We have each been given a contact in the Department of Health so we can follow through. The important thing for us is making sure they are doing what they say they will do. I will follow up and speak to them.”
Paterson, whose patients are believed to exceed 11,000, also worked a the Heart of England NHS Trust along with private surgical practice for Bupa hospitals in the region.
He was jailed for 20 years in 2017.
Other recommendations include a public register of consultants’ practising privileges to encourage more transparency, consultants to write to GP’s to outline patients’ treatment, and ensuring all breast cancer patients can discuss their treatment with a multi-disciplinary meeting.
The government was also urged to address gaps in liability between private providers and the NHS.