Spire Healthcare have begun contacting former patients of consultant gynaecologist, Philip Kaloo, as part of a review of treatment and surgery performed on patients under his care.
Spire’s review of Mr Kaloo is the most recent in a series of active patient notifications, not including the recently reopened Paterson Independent Inquiry. Since 2018, Spire has also launched investigations into colorectal surgeon Anthony Dixon, along with orthopaedic surgeons Michael Walsh, Habib Rahman, and John Hutchinson.
Mr Kaloo has had his practising privileges revoked and a ‘precautionary patient notification exercise’ is underway as a result of the review, which began in May 2021.
Mr Kaloo failed to gain proper consent from his patients for the surgeries he carried out, which included risky procedures such as morcellation. This is a method of removing fibroids from the uterus which carries the risk that tissue can be left behind. In some cases, this can cause previously undiagnosed cancerous tissue to spread throughout the body.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) advises that this procedure should only be done with ‘special arrangements’, including the need for patients to have regular follow-up appointments to check how well the procedure has worked. They must also be fully informed of the risk before consenting.
The number of former patients affected by this review has not been made public.
Ally Taft, a partner with Medical Accident Group, who successfully represented several former patients of Ian Paterson, said: “While it is encouraging to see that failures like this are no longer going unnoticed, this latest in a series of reviews raises serious concerns about Spire’s practices for safeguarding patients and preventing harm. It is clear that there are still lessons to be learned from past investigations.”
Have you been contacted by Spire Hospitals?
Learning that you may have received inappropriate treatment or surgery, even years after the event, can be a huge shock. If you have been part of a Spire review process, it is important to seek legal advice as soon as possible. The dedicated team at the Medical Accident Group can help you to understand your options and guide you through the process of making a claim.
If you or a loved one have been contacted by Spire Healthcare, contact the team now on 0800 050 1668 or fill in our contact form below to find out what this means for you.