Some of disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson’s patients felt he was subjected to a “witch hunt” when allegations against him started to circulate in the media, an inquest into the death of one of his patients has heard.
A number of the consultant surgeon’s patients were recalled in 2010 so their treatment could be investigated after it emerged he was performing unauthorised “cleavage-sparing” mastectomies which left behind breast tissue for cosmetic reasons but increased the risk of cancer returning.
An inquiry later found he carried out unnecessary operations in NHS and private hospitals on more than 1,000 patients over 14 years, exaggerating or inventing cancer risks and claiming payments for more expensive procedures.
Paterson, 66, is serving a 20-year jail sentence after being convicted of multiple counts of wounding in 2017, but a series of inquests at Birmingham and Solihull Coroners Court, set to last for eight months, are looking into the deaths of former patients which may have been unnatural.
He could be abrupt and very overpowering sometimes but generally, in our meetings, we would all have our say and I don’t think anybody was bound by any restrictions
The second of 62 inquests, which started on Tuesday, is examining the death of legal secretary Elaine Turbill, of Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, who was 63 when she died of breast cancer at her home in 2017.
The inquest heard the mother-of-two was diagnosed in September 2005 after suffering pain and finding a lump in her right breast, and Paterson carried out a cleavage-sparing mastectomy in October that year.
When media reports revealed concerns about the way he had been conducting operations in 2010, a number of his patients were invited to a recall clinic to be checked.
Giving evidence at Mrs Turbill’s inquest on Tuesday, surgeon Balapathiran Balasubramanian, who worked with Paterson at Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham and carried out some of the recall checks, said some of the patients were angry that Paterson was being investigated at the time.
He said: “Some patients had great faith in him and some were angry and felt it was a witch hunt against him. There were all kinds of opinions, but some wanted him to remain involved in their care.”
Dr Balasubramanian said Mrs Turbill attended a recall clinic on July 2 2010 and decided against having any further surgery to remove the 20% of breast tissue left behind by Paterson’s mastectomy, instead opting for regular follow-ups to check for changes.
He told the court she “didn’t mind” her follow-ups being carried out by Paterson but he was suspended before she could see him again and instead saw other surgeons.
Seven years on the pain never goes away. I have a feeling in my stomach that her death could have been prevented
None of the mammograms that followed raised any concerns, but Mrs Turbill was given an urgent referral for suspected breast cancer recurrence in September 2013.
A CT scan in December 2013 revealed that Mrs Turbill’s cancer was metastatic and had spread to her bones, brain and liver. She died in October 2017.
An investigation into Paterson published in December 2013 heard that he had a “charismatic personality” and was “well liked” by patients.
Dr Balasubramanian, who attended multidisciplinary team meetings with Paterson twice a week at Heartlands Hospital and held clinics in the same corridor, said colleagues knew he could be “abrupt and overpowering”.
He said: “He was a person who wanted to get on with things quickly and trying to be efficient in doing things.
“We all knew he could be very argumentative and wouldn’t take no for an answer very often.
“He could be abrupt and very overpowering sometimes but generally, in our meetings, we would all have our say and I don’t think anybody was bound by any restrictions.
“I can only tell you how I felt, but the core principle was that every member had a right to contribute and express their views and I don’t feel that anybody was told not to say anything.”
Mrs Turbill’s daughter Gemma said in a statement that her mother was a “kind, loving and friendly” person whose smile “could light up the room”.
She said her mother was “frustrated” with the length of time it took to be referred for treatment, adding: “It was very hard to see her deteriorate. The day she died is still very painful for me to remember.
“Still, seven years on the pain never goes away. I have a feeling in my stomach that her death could have been prevented.”
The inquest continues and Paterson is expected to give evidence on Thursday.
