New details emerge of “appalling” surgical practices at Royal Sussex

Details are emerging of some of the “appalling” practices being used by surgeons whose work is under police investigation at a scandal-hit hospital.

One surgeon at the Royal Sussex County Hospital has been revealed as having used his own penknife - which he used to cut fruit for his lunch – to open up a patient’s chest in an operation.

University Hospitals Sussex, which manages the hospital, has confirmed the details of the situation, saying the operation was an emergency, but that the surgeon’s actions were “outside normal procedures and should not have been necessary”.

The details of this case emerge as the Brighton hospital continues to be investigated by Sussex Police as part of Operation Bramber.

The investigation is looking into at least 105 cases of alleged medical negligence, with at least 40 fatal cases involved. Manslaughter charges are being considered, it is understood, and Sussex Police is recruiting for extra investigators to support their work.

In the penknife case, the patient survived, but internal documents show the surgeon’s colleagues felt his behaviour was “questionable”.

The same surgeon, reports the BBC, also carried out three supposedly low-risk operations in two months where all three patients died soon after.

The new revelations are the latest to give insight into practices at the Royal Sussex, with whistleblowers previously alleging that deaths were ignored or deliberately concealed, and independent reports confirming the “culture of fear” and poor leadership that existed in the wider Trust.

Nisha Sharma, Principal Lawyer in our medical negligence team, is acting for many patients and families who have been impacted by poor standards of care at the Royal Sussex – including some whose cases form part of Operation Bramber.

“For months, we have been shocked by ongoing details emerging from the Royal Sussex, but this case involving the surgeon using his own penknife is absolutely appalling,” says Nisha, herself a Brighton resident.

“The facts that are being uncovered about practices at this hospital are genuinely shocking to the community – people living in Brighton rely on the Royal Sussex for their own care and that of their families, and this is yet another reason for them to be deeply concerned.

“We are hearing first-hand from our clients about their experiences at this hospital, and have come to understand the significant scale on which sub-standard care has been delivered. In many cases, we are helping clients understand, for the first time, exactly what went wrong in their situations, which is of often deeply distressing.

“We would urge anyone with concerns about the Royal Sussex and the experience they have had there to come forward. People want and deserve answers over what has happened to them, and as shocking as the details can often be, we are committed to helping families to establish the truth.”

If you think you or a loved one has experienced medical negligence, we urge you to get in touch with our clinical negligence specialists. Our experts understand the difficulty you have faced, and will be on your side every step of the way. Contact us here.