NHS England is to conduct a review into complex orthopaedic and spinal surgery services after a surgeon, who specialises in treating children, was suspended.
The suspension came after an external review, which looked at a number of complex paediatric hip surgeries carried out by an individual over the past two-and-a-half years, found treatment provided to nine children fell below standards.
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said the probe was ordered in October after concerns were raised by staff.
An NHS England spokesperson later said the health service would be conducting a “wider review into high-complexity, low-volume orthopaedic and spinal surgery services”.
Our chief executive, Roland Sinker, has released a statement about an external review completed at the beginning of this year.
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— Cambridge University Hospitals NHS (@CUH_NHS) February 14, 2025
They said: “In addition to the trust’s review of cases and investigation into whether this unacceptable practice could have been stopped sooner, NHS England will be conducting a wider review into high-complexity, low-volume orthopaedic and spinal surgery services.
“This would build on work already under way to update the service specification for specialised paediatric orthopaedic surgery.”
A statement from the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s chief executive, Roland Sinker, said the investigation into the surgeon found treatment provided to the children was “below the standard we would expect”.
The statement added: “The review does not suggest that any of the outcomes were life threatening but for some has impacted on their quality of life.
“We are very sorry that this has happened and we apologise unreservedly to our patients and their families.”
Mr Sinker said the trust “restricted the individual’s clinical practice” as a precautionary measure last year, and following the outcome of the review, they were suspended and are “fully co-operating with the trust’s process”.
The trust is contacting the patients and their families to schedule appointments and undergo further clinical assessments where required.
Mr Sinker said: “We take this matter extremely seriously and are committed to ensuring all affected patients and families receive appropriate care and support.
“We have also put in place arrangements to commission a further external review into all of the planned surgical operations carried out by the individual during their employment with the trust.
“This will review the quality of care received by those patients.
“While this retrospective review will take time, we are committed to fully examining all of the cases and we will be proactive in contacting patients and their families in any case where we identify the possibility that there has been a poorer than expected outcome from their treatment.”
He added that Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has informed the General Medical Council (GMC), NHS England and the Care Quality Commission.
The GMC confirmed it is are aware of the concerns related to the surgeon.
