Urgent Review Of Great Ormond Street Surgeon

It has been reported that an urgent review is taking place into over 700 of cases of orthopaedic care and treatment provided to children by former Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr Yaser Jabbar, whilst at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

Shockingly, a total of 721 cases are set to be reviewed.

Background

It is understood that both staff and parents raised concerns about Mr Jabbar’s his conduct and care as early as 2017 but sadly no substantive action was taken in response until 2022. The concerns eventually prompted GOSH to ask the Royal College of Surgeons (RCOG) to independently review the surgeon’s surgical practices.

A confidential report was produced by the ROCG just weeks after Mr Jabbar resigned in September 2023. As of January 2024, Mr Jabbar has voluntarily surrendered his licence to practice in the UK.

A few days ago, the Sunday Times published an article that leaked information from the RCOG’s confidential report. The findings of this report are extremely distressing.

The report raises various concerns about patient safety, medical ethics, and the standard of care provided to children whilst in Mr Jabbar’s care.

The investigation has found significant concerns relating to:

Reference is also made to staff at GOSH reportedly seeing more amputations in recent times than they ever had within the service because of the treatment Mr Jabbar provided to his patients.

Urgent review

As part of the urgent review, 721 patients treated by Mr Jabbar will have their medical records independently reviewed to check that the treatment provided was appropriate.

39 cases have been reviewed so far and it has been determined that 22 of those children had been harmed, and 13 of those children were sadly classified as having suffered “severe harm” as a result of Jabbar’s surgical practice, with potentially lifelong injuries as a result.

At least one child was found to have required a leg amputation following surgery performed by Jabbar, and another child was at risk of needing an amputation if the work of other surgeons cannot preserve the limb.

Other cases involve children who have been left with a significant disparity in leg length by as much as 20cm.

A number of children treated by Mr Jabbar are said to be living with chronic pain even years after undergoing surgery and others requiring multiple surgeries because of muscle damage, nerve injuries, and deformities.

The RCOG’s investigation has also raised concerns regarding the working environment within the orthopaedic department at GOSH and described it as “dysfunctional”. It is yet to be seen whether the outcome of the urgent review will highlight any systemic issues.

Comment

It is extremely concerning to learn of the RCOG’s findings about Mr Jabbar’s practices and behaviour at GOSH.

It is hoped that the urgent review will bring to light all failures in care provided to children under Mr Jabbar’s care and that GOSH will be transparent in sharing these findings with the public and making the necessary changes within the department to ensure patient safety moving forward.

If your child has been treated by Mr Jabbar and you have concerns about the care and treatment provided, it is important to contact a solicitor for independent advice as soon as possible.

We understand how devastating it must be to learn that your child may have been subjected to avoidable harm in the course of medical treatment. Our team here at Nelsons are here to listen to all of your concerns, provide clear and simple advice in respect of bringing a claim for your child’s injuries, and to guide you through each step of the claims process.

Whilst no amount of compensation will change the suffering that many families have already experienced, damages can help to improve the quality of life of those children involved. We are passionate about supporting families to ensure that their concerns are addressed, and their questions answered and to hold those responsible accountable.