It has been reported recently that up to 600 patients are to be recalled by Walsall Hospital following concerns about shoulder operations carried out there by surgeon Mian Munawar Shah.
Mr Shah has now been suspended, and the hospital has set up a helpline and will be writing to patients who may have been affected. Some patients have reportedly lost the use of their arms after surgery by Mr Shah.
The BBC reports that one patient had two operations by Mr Shah and it later emerged that the first was unnecessary and a screw had been placed during the procedure inappropriately.
Between 2010 and 2018, there were 21 medical negligence claims relating to Mr Shah’s surgery.
In 2020, Walsall Healthcare Trust contacted the Royal College of Surgeons, which then carried out a review of surgery generally, and a further review of Mr Shah’s individual work. They recommended a recall of his patients following this review.
Mr Shah has now been given an interim order by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service which stops him from doing laterjet procedures or shoulder joint replacements without supervision.
Dr Shehmar, Medical Director at the Walsall Healthcare Trust told the BBC that there had been a failure to carry out multi-disciplinary team meetings, and some of the procedures should have been performed in a specialist orthopaedic hospital, rather than at Walsall Manor.
But, for those affected, there are clearly many questions as to how the risks were not spotted sooner.
A spokesperson for Spire Healthcare spokesperson said:
“Mr Munawar Shah has not practised at Spire Little Aston since March 2020. We have liaised closely with the Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust throughout their review of his practice, and continue to do so. We are reviewing whether we need to contact and offer support to patients who had particular treatments with Mr Shah at Spire. We understand the distress and uncertainty this may cause to patients. Patient safety and the quality of the care we provide to patients remains Spire Healthcare’s highest priority.”
Patients who are concerned can contact the helpline number set up by Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust 01922 604631 or email the Trust at [email protected]
Comment
The importance of the faith and trust we must put into healthcare providers, and how devastating it is when the level of care you ought to expect is not provided, is highlighted by this story. This surgeon clearly was operating on patients who had every right to expect that they were being treated by a medical professional with the required level of skill and expertise. Some of them have now been left with very severe issues with their arms as a result of what appears to be negligent care, and this is very worrying.
It is important that anyone who thinks they may have been affected seeks support from the helpline, but also consider making a formal complaint and/or obtaining legal advice.
How can Nelsons help
Danielle Young is a Legal Director in our Medical Negligence team, which has been ranked in tier one by the independently researched publication, The Legal 500.
If you have any questions in relation to the subjects discussed in this article, then please get in touch with Danielle or another member of the team in Derby, Leicester, or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
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