Nearly 100 children were harmed by a Great Ormond Street Hospital surgeon, an independent review has concluded. The review examined the work of consultant orthopaedic surgeon Yaser Jabbar, who treated nearly 800 patients between 2017 and 2022, specialising in limb lengthening and reconstruction.
Of 789 children under his care, 94 were specifically harmed as a result of his actions, with 36 suffering severe harm such as delayed diagnosis or failed surgery. Thirty-nine patients experienced moderate harm, and 19 were mildly harmed, for example by receiving unnecessary general anaesthetic. The review found that 642 patients were not harmed attributable to the surgeon.
Matthew Shaw, chief executive of Great Ormond Street Hospital, said the hospital was 'profoundly sorry' and promised lessons had been learned. The trust has implemented changes including more training on dealing with complaints, better support for whistleblowing, and multidisciplinary reviews of all surgical patients. Complex cases are now discussed with the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital.
Yaser Jabbar, who now works in the United Arab Emirates, no longer holds a licence to practise medicine in the UK. In response to the findings, NHS England has announced its own independent review, due to start in February, focusing on potential governance failures.
Julia Reynolds, a partner at law firm Leigh Day representing some affected families, said too few families were consulted by the review team, effectively ignoring them again. She stressed the need for managers to listen to patients when concerns are raised. Georgina Wade of Tees Law, also supporting families, noted that some children with complex conditions were subjected to unnecessary and invasive procedures.
