Operation Bramber doubles size of investigation

Operation Bramber was launched in 2023 to look into allegations of poor care and practice within University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust, and initially identified 105 cases – including over 40 fatalities.

Now, the Sussex Police investigation has grown to more than 200 cases, involving patients who have suffered after undergoing procedures in neurosurgery and general surgery within UHS’s hospitals.

It has previously been revealed that further resource has been added to the Sussex Police team to assist in the volume and complexity of its growing investigation, which may result in criminal charges.

Among Operation Bramber’s growing caseload is that of Tony Mardell, a former successful business owner who made national headlines through being left dependent on carers after undergoing an operation at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

He was forced to wait over a year for surgery on his benign brain tumour, with his operation being cancelled three times despite worsening seizures, and concerns have been raised over the standards of care he received.

Operation Bramber was launched following the revelations of whistleblower surgeons, who spoke out about the “culture of fear” that existed within the Trust and the fact they felt a blind eye was being turned to alleged negligence.

Their allegations of “culture of fear” were supported by the independent findings of a report from the Royal College of Surgeons, as well as an inspection by the CQC.

Nisha Sharma, principal lawyer at Slater and Gordon, is handling a growing number of cases which form part of Operation Bramber.

“The fact the scope of Operation Bramber has more than doubled is very concerning, and as there is an ongoing police investigation, there may be more cases which are yet to be included. We now have over 200 individuals and families who have potentially suffered at the hands of this Trust – and that is absolutely shocking,” says Nisha.

“We have a number of clients whose cases are included in this investigation and they deserve answers. They have experienced trauma as a result of the poor care they have received from University Hospitals Sussex, and we see first-hand the lasting impact this has had. It is truly heartbreaking and we only hope they received the answers they need and deserve through this police investigation. We are supporting them in every way we can.

“To anyone who has yet to come forward, who has concerns over the care they received from University Hospitals Sussex, we would urge them to do so. Operation Bramber is clearly at least twice as big as when it first launched so it is vital we understand the true scale of what we truly face and that those involved have proper representation.”