A police investigation into allegations of preventable deaths and injuries at an NHS trust has expanded to include more cases, now doubling the initial number. The inquiry focuses on the care and treatment provided by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust between 2015 and 2021.
Sussex Police began investigating in 2023, initially reviewing 105 cases, but it has since grown to over 200, according to new information from BBC File On 4 Investigates.
The police force has confirmed that the investigation remains "active and ongoing" but has not provided specific case details at this stage. The inquiry was triggered after whistleblowers raised concerns about potential medical negligence in two of the trust's departments—neurosurgery and general surgery—highlighting at least 40 deaths.
The surge in the number of cases being investigated follows additional families coming forward to report their concerns.
In a separate development, we have spoken with the family of a patient who allege they were misled by a senior surgeon in the trust's general surgery department before a procedure that resulted in serious, life-threatening injuries.
Wendy Gibbs, 80, was scheduled for surgery to repair a pelvic prolapse at a private hospital in Brighton, part of Nuffield Health. However, the surgeon, Marc Lamah, informed her that the procedure would be moved to a different Nuffield hospital due to the Brighton site lacking a necessary type of scanner. It later emerged that the required equipment was also unavailable at the second hospital.
Additionally, Mrs. Gibbs was not told that Mr. Lamah and other surgeons had been prohibited from performing such surgeries at the Brighton hospital due to safety concerns, which had led Nuffield Health to suspend this type of surgery at the time.
Source: BBC News– "Cases double in NHS trust death and injury investigation" (Published: 07 January 2025)
To read the full article please click on the following link [ Click Here ]
Share this post: