Dr Ian Paterson, a breast surgeon, has been charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding 11 patients.
Dr Paterson was suspended by the General Medical Council (GMC) in 2012, treated 700 women from 1993 and 2012.
Whilst working in hospitals run by the Heart of England NHS Trust and Spire Healthcare, Paterson conducted 21 counts of unlawfully and maliciously wounding 11 patients.
The GMC are investigating allegations that Paterson carried out unnecessary, inappropriate and unregulated operations that took place between 1997 and 2011.
The allegations include Paterson carrying out invasive breast surgery on women with suspected breast cancer, when a biopsy may have been sufficient, whilst working at Solihull Hospital and two private hospitals run by Spire.
In addition to the unnecessary operations, Paterson is also accused of cleavage sparing mastectomy, a banned procedure which leaves behind some potentially cancerous tissue for cosmetic reasons.
More than 550 patients have been recalled to the hospital to have their cases reviewed.
From spring 2016 surgeons will be able to apply for a certificate to show they are qualified and competent to perform cosmetic surgery.
Currently it will only cover cosmetic surgeons working in private hospitals, but it will allow them to show patients that they have appropriate standards of training and experience to perform cosmetic procedures, such as breast surgeries.
Mr Steve Cannon, Chair of the Cosmetic Surgery Interspecialty Committee (CSIC) which was set up to oversee the changes, said: “It will make cosmetic surgery safer for patients, who for the first time, will be able to identify a highly qualified, experienced surgeon to perform a procedure through a register of surgeons. It will also make it simpler for hospitals to check the qualifications, experience and training of the doctors who work there. All eligible surgeons should apply for certification.”
Pryers’ Expertise
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