Great Ormond Street Hospital Reviews Cases of Former Surgeon Amid Concerns of Harm

Great Ormond Street Hospital has launched an urgent review into hundreds of cases of children treated by one of its former consultant orthopaedic surgeons, Yaser Jabbar, following concerns raised about his practice.

The review was initiated after the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) was asked to assess the hospital's paediatric orthopaedic service. The RCS review has so far examined 37 cases, with 22 children found to have suffered some degree of harm, including 13 cases classified as "severe harm."

Caroline Murgatroyd, a lawyer representing some of the affected families, expressed concern about the findings, stating that they "paint a very worrying picture of the treatment provided to children by Mr Jabbar." She highlighted issues such as inadequate assessments, poor communication with families, and unnecessary surgeries.

One case involved a child who underwent an amputation that could have been avoided with alternative treatment. Other children experienced leg length discrepancies requiring further treatment.

Mr Jabbar, who no longer works at the hospital, lost his license to practice medicine in the UK on January 8th. The hospital has apologized to families for any distress caused and is facing potential compensation claims.

The RCS review identified concerns about Mr Jabbar, which are being investigated by independent experts from other pediatric hospitals. The GMC had previously imposed conditions on Mr Jabbar's practice, including requiring a clinical supervisor and seeking approval before taking on non-NHS roles.