A senior paediatric surgeon at the award-winning Addenbrooke’s Hospital has been suspended, and an investigation launched into the care provided to hundreds of their patients, most of whom are children.
It has been reported that concerns were first raised over the surgeon’s treatment in 2015, which prompted a clinical review of their work in 2016. The surgeon was placed on reduced duties as a precaution, but after concerns were raised by colleagues in October 2024, the surgeon was suspended in January 2025.
The initial review by the Trust identified that the care provided to nine children was “below the standard we would expect”. An external review is now taking place by a panel of expert clinicians and plans to consider the treatment provided to 700 patients who had planned operations and 100 adult and child patients who had emergency treatment. The panel is being led by barrister Andrew Kennedy KC.
Chief Executive, Roland Sinker, has apologised “unreservedly to our patients and their families” with the Trust also instructing a specialist investigations company to identify “whether there were opportunities to have identified these issues sooner”.
The surgeon has not been named at this time, and South Cambridgeshire MP Pippa Heylings, whose constituency includes Addenbrooke’s, said:
“For all those who weren’t covered under that two-and-a-half years or don’t know whether it was that particular surgeon, as you can imagine this is hugely worrying.”
Further transparency into the investigation has been called for, and a designated family liaison officer has been appointed.
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