Expert medical negligence solicitors at Switalskis say the findings of a review  into the practice of limb reconstruction surgeon Yaser Jabbar at the world-famous Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) are ‘deeply troubling’

Specialists in our medical negligence team say the review has raised serious questions about patient safety, oversight and organisational culture within the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust and have urged the Trust to make immediate improvements.

The review concluded that 94 of the 789 children treated by Mr Jabbar at the world renowned Great Ormond Street Hospital between 2017 and 2022 came to harm, with more than a third of those cases assessed as severe.

Most involved children who underwent surgery, including complex limb-lengthening and reconstruction procedures –high-risk treatments where robust safeguards, clear consent and strong multidisciplinary oversight are essential.

‘Profound and life altering consequences’: an expert’s view

Kimberley Davies, solicitor in our medical negligence team said: “The findings of the review are deeply troubling and an highlight an urgent need for patient safety improvements. Taken together, the findings point to systemic failures that went beyond individual clinical errors.

“For the children concerned and their families, the consequences have been profound and life-altering. Young patients have been left living with constant pain, facing repeated surgeries, disruption to education and uncertainty about their futures.

“Worse, in some cases, outcomes have been irreversible. These are not abstract governance issues. They are the lived experiences of children and families who placed their trust in a world-leading institution”

Concerns have also been raised about how warnings were handled. The BBC has reported that staff raised concerns about working culture and the appropriateness of care before decisive action was taken.

Kimberley added: “These worrying reports reinforce the importance of strong whistleblowing processes and a culture where staff and patients feel safe to speak up, particularly in specialist services where scrutiny can be limited. This is exactly what the NHS statutory duty of candour was designed to encourage and it’s deeply concerning that this duty – a legal requirement – appears to have been ignored in these cases.”

Steps taken and recommendations implemented – but ‘too little, too late’ for many affected, say experts

The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed that it has now completed a full patient recall process, reviewing the care of all 789 children rather than a smaller cohort. Independent paediatric orthopaedic surgeons assessed each case, and families were given individual outcomes and offered meetings to discuss next steps.

The hospital has also completed all recommendations made by the Royal College of Surgeons. Within the Orthopaedic Service, these reforms include:

• Standardising how patients are accepted and how waiting lists are managed
• Ensuring every surgical patient is reviewed by a full multidisciplinary team both before and after surgery
• Holding fortnightly meetings with the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital to review complex cases with a wider specialist team
• Strengthening how care that has not gone to plan is reviewed through regular Mortality and Morbidity meetings
• Agreeing clear outcome measures for children and young people with limb differences, foot and ankle conditions and neuromuscular conditions requiring orthopaedic surgery

Wider learning from the review has been applied across the hospital, including:

• Standardising governance for multidisciplinary and Mortality and Morbidity meetings
• Reviewing and improving outcome measures across clinical services
• Investing in clinical leadership through speciality lead training
• Further developing a Speak Up culture, including better support for patients and staff to raise concerns
• Improving staff induction processes, including the introduction of trained mentors

Kimberley said: “These reforms are an essential step in strengthening safety and governance. However, they are too little and too late for families whose children have already been harmed, system change alone cannot undo what has happened.

“Many of these children will need rehabilitation for an extended period and sadly, face lifelong issues relating back to failed surgery. Every instance of clinical negligence is a person harmed, in this case a young person, and a life changed, often irreparably.

‘Independent scrutiny and the need for accountability’

NHS England has now confirmed it’s commissioning an independent patient safety investigation into how GOSH responded when potential harm was identified within the limb-lengthening service. This investigation will focus on organisational culture and governance rather than individual clinical decisions and will complement the clinical reviews already carried out.

Kimberley said: “Independent scrutiny, transparency and accountability are critical to restoring trust and ensuring learning is shared across the NHS so that other children and families are protected in the future.

“Families of those affected will be determined to know that lessons have been learned from these incidents at Great Ormond Street and across the wider NHS. Although it can’t take back the harm caused to their child, their voice must be heard in ensuring others never suffer the same consequences.”

Supporting families to rebuild their lives

At Switalskis, we believe that patient safety, meaningful reform and helping people rebuild their lives must go hand in hand. When healthcare systems fail, families deserve clear answers, genuine accountability and access to the support, rehabilitation and long-term care their children need.

Learning from cases like this is not about blame for its own sake. It is about ensuring that no child is left to carry the consequences of systemic failure without recognition, support and the reassurance that lasting change will follow

Get in touch with our team by calling 0800 138 0458 or filling out the form below.