News

Yaser Jabbar: Reports into Great Ormond Street surgeon a ‘white wash’, say families

15:19, 6/12/2024

Parents of children who suffered at the hands of disgraced Great Ormond Street surgeon Yaser Jabbar have spoken out after a ‘whitewash’ report was published this week.

Jabber treated ill children at Great Ormond Street between 2017 and 2022 – however it was later found that he left a number of children with serious and in some cases, life-long injuries due to errors in his work.

According to reports, some of the mistakes included leaving children with different leg lengths, serious injuries and in some cases amputation.

Following a review in 2023, Great Ormond Street said that each of Jabbar’s 723 patients would receive and independent report to conclude what level of harm they had suffered under the care of the disgraced medic. However, the families of his patients have been left furious after claiming that the reports about the care their children received did not represent what really happened.

Some parents say there is a ‘culture of cover-up’ and have accused Great Ormond Street of failing their children. Meanwhile, others say that the reports were produced using patient notes written by Jabber – despite him being ‘known for not writing up records or keeping notes correctly.’

One mother said the report did not “reflect my daughter’s journey at all”.

Physical impact deemed as ‘moderate’

Meanwhile, Dean Stalham, the father of a Bunty, was seen by Jabber after being born with a rare bone disease which caused her left tibia to be bowed and short, and with a genetic condition which also causes tumours to grow on her nerves.

Bunty underwent multiple operations carried out by Jabbar, including a bone grafting, limb lengthening of the tibia and the use of frames – which eventually resulted in a below-knee amputation in May 2020.

However, in Bunty’s report, it stated that the physical impact on her was deemed ‘moderate’ – but her father told the BBC it was ‘simply wrong’. He said the report claimed she underwent six operations – but he said the figure was actually 10.

‘Not a single one of Bunty’s surgeries worked, and none of them were of any benefit to her whatsoever,’ he told the BBC. ‘When they were trying to lengthen her leg they ended up shortening it by about eight inches.’

Psychological harm ‘none’ or ‘mild’

Parents have also been left angered after reports inaccurately stated that the psychological effects of Jabbar on the young patients were ‘none’ or mild’. However, in some cases, the youngsters had to seek psychological support following failed operations.

Is Jabbar still practising?

Jabbar no longer works at the London hospital and has not had a licence to practise medicine in the UK since January 8, according to the General Medical Council’s website.

One child he operated on had to have their leg amputated and another is facing the threat of amputation.

Some have been left with different length legs, in some cases by as much as 20cm, while other injuries include muscle damage and nerve injuries.

One father of a six-year-old boy said his child suffered ‘terrible pain’ after undergoing a lower limb reconstruction in July 2021.

Making a claim for medical errors

If yourself or a loved one has suffered as a result of medical negligence or errors in surgery, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

Your surgery and care should meet certain clinical standards however, any surgical operation represents an element of risk. Even the most routine procedures involve a patient entrusting their life to a team of doctors. When a surgical procedure goes wrong due to an avoidable surgical error, the effects can have a life-altering impact, both physically and psychologically to the patient.

Surgical negligence happens when surgeons or other medical professionals make mistakes during your operation, leaving you with avoidable problems or injuries. This can include:

• Performing the wrong operation/operating on the wrong body part
• Leaving foreign objects in the body
• Failing to inform you about the possible risks of surgery or check your suitability for surgery
• Injecting too much or too little anaesthesia
• Causing avoidable nerve damage or injury to your organs.

Negligent surgical treatment can severely affect a patient’s life, recovery period and in more serious cases result in death.

If you’ve received negligent surgical treatment which has left you in a debilitating condition or unnecessary pain and suffering, you may be eligible to make a clinical negligence claim.

Who can make a claim?

The victim of the negligence can bring about a claim in their own right. However, it is often sadly the case that the victim is either unable to bring about a claim or has sadly passed. In such circumstances, a claim can be brought about on their behalf either by an appropriate person or litigation friend if the victim is still with us or by the executor of the estate of surviving dependant if the victim has passed.

Our specialist team will be able to discuss whether you have a right to bring about a claim, so if you or a loved one has been affected do not hesitate to contact us.

How long do I have to make a claim?

Claims of this nature are subject to a three year limitation period. This means that claims have to be commenced within the Courts in three years of rather the date the negligent act occurred or the date you became aware that negligence had occurred. In cases involving deceased victims this limitation period commences from the date of death and in cases involving minors, the limitation period starts when they reach their 18th birthday.

The law surrounding limitation periods is complex, our specialist team will be able to advise further.

How will my case be funded?

The majority of clinical negligence cases are funded by a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), more commonly known as a ‘no-win, no-fee’ agreement. This means that there will be nothing to pay upfront and nothing to pay if the claim has been lost. If you are successful in your claim, a deduction of 25% of damages will be taken to cover the success fee and the shortfall in legal fees.

It may also be the case that an After The Event (ATE) insurance policy will be obtained to cover the costs of expensive medical reports and investigations. If an ATE insurance policy has to be obtained the cost of the same will be discussed with you at the appropriate point.

The cost of the ATE insurance policy is again taken from your damages and only payable if you are successful with your claim.

Why should I choose Oakwood Solicitors Ltd?

We have a dedicated team of solicitors and paralegals who have many years’ experience between them in running cases of this nature. They are highly trained to deal with all aspects of clinical negligence.

Oakwood Solicitors Ltd wishes to ensure that clients are not overwhelmed by legal jargon or medical terms that they don’t understand and aims to allow the claims procedure to be as transparent as possible.

WHAT TO DO NEXT

Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.