It has been reported that 88 patients of senior surgeon Roger Bainton have been recalled to have their treatment reviewed by The University of North Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.
Mr Bainton, who specialised in reconstructing faces and jaws following traumatic injury, was suspended by the Trust in February 2013 following concerns raised by fellow surgeons relating to his treatment methods. The Trust commenced an investigation and found that patients may have suffered injury whilst under Mr Bainton’s care.
It is alleged that Mr Bainton carried out operations which were unnecessary or procedures that were not fully regulated.
University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust has said that special appointments have been set up at the hospital for these patients who will all now be seen by a senior consultant surgeon.
Those patients who have been invited for review fall into three categories:
- 33 of those patients, who had suffered severe damage and fracture of the eye socket following an accident or injury, were treated using an artificial bone substitute (DBX) as an implant to support the lower part of the socket. The Royal College of Surgeons review team considered that the use of DBX in this way was a new technique that was not recommended for use by the regulating body’s guidelines. In some cases, patients had to undergo more than one procedure as a result of the premature absorption of the bone substitute which may lead to excess scarring in and around the eye.
- 36 of the patients recalled had open eye surgery for conditions of the jaw joint and it is considered that more conservative, non-surgical measures should have been adopted with these patients before surgery was considered.
- 19 of the patients recalled underwent operations on the eye socket when either a more watchful approach should have been applied or there should have been prior consultation with colleagues from a range of different surgery. In some cases, patients may have experienced harm as a result of potentially unnecessary surgery.
Medical Director of University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust, Mr Robert Courtney-Harris, was reported as saying:
“On behalf of University Hospital I should like to express my sincere regret and apologies to any patients who have, or may have, been harmed. The Trust has a clear protocol in place governing the use of new and unproven procedures and techniques. We took immediate action as soon as serious concerns about specific aspects of this consultant’s practice were brought to our attention and the consultant has not worked at the Trust for more than a year.”
A review by the Royal College of Surgeons found that Mr Bainton’s patients had “…At least not been helped, and at worst have come to harm due to the standard of care provided.” It was recommended that a wider review of Mr Bainton’s practice should be undertaken.
It would appear that this is not the first occasion that concerns have been raised about this particular surgeon.
In March 2000, Mr Bainton was found guilty of gross professional misconduct following the death of one of his patients in Aberdeen after routine jaw surgery. The General Medical Council suspended Mr Bainton from practising for 12 months after finding him guilty of ‘failing to ensure that the patient received adequate care’ and ‘failing to ensure that his condition and progress was adequately monitored by suitable experienced and qualified staff.’
Mr Bainton was also previously suspended by the General Dental Council for 12 months after he was found guilty of misconduct.
Following his suspension in February 2013, Mr Bainton was investigated again in November 2013 and now has conditions placed on his ability to practise as a doctor in the UK.
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