Alleged failings in neurosurgery and general surgery between 2015 and 2020 have prompted Sussex Police to investigate allegations of medical negligence.

It has been speculated that about 40 deaths at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton are connected to the investigation, but there has been no official confirmation by the police or hospital trust.

In May 2023 the Care Quality Commission (CQC) downgraded the hospital to ‘requires improvement’ after whistle-blowers prompted an inspection into the hospital’s care and treatment.

It is very distressing to receive an unexpected letter or see a report about an investigation into a local hospital about medical care that could involve you or a family member. The first and best advise we would give to you, if you find yourself in those awful circumstances, is to contact me – an experienced and specialist clinical negligence solicitor – as soon as possible.

There is a strict time limit for making a compensation claim for injury or illness caused by negligent medical care and treatment. Usually, a patient has only three years from the date of the negligent treatment or care, or from the date of when they first became aware that they had suffered injury or illness because of the negligence.

But whatever you believe the timings to be, if you have been contacted by the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in respect of neurosurgery or spinal surgery, where you have had an adverse outcome, or any Royal College of Surgeons (RSC) Review – no matter how long ago, please contact me for advice. I am more than happy to talk to you about what has happened and whether you can get legal help. It will be in confidence and with no obligation.

Even if you do feel that your symptoms have settled and you have come to terms with the fact that you may have had an adverse outcome, or not the outcome that you expected. You may have been told at the time that nothing untoward had occurred and that you had just been one of the unlucky ones. If you are now being told that was not the case, this will be shocking to you and there could still be long-term repercussions. You may have been through unnecessary surgery that will have had effects at the time, but you have only just been told following a review that your case did not meet the standards expected of the clinicians concerned. We would therefore urge you to find out about your rights now by seeking legal advice.

If you have been told at a clinic appointment about any review, or you have received notification in a letter about an investigation into historic surgical practice, then the stopwatch on the time limit for bringing a case will have begun. You should speak to me, Andrew Taylor, a Law Society Accredited Clinical Negligence Specialist, as soon as possible.

In recent years Birchall Blackburn Law’s Healthcare & Clinical Risk team has seen a significant number of investigations and reviews into negligent care in neurosurgery and spinal surgery by hospitals. Some of these investigations relate to incidents dating back many years, revealing historical evidence of negligent treatment and care.

I have first-hand knowledge and experience in dealing with these complicated and distressing cases. I have undertaken a number of spinal negligence claims, including compensation claims on behalf of former patients of neurosurgeon, Mr El-Maghrabi. His work was the subject of a BBC Inside Out documentary programme that highlighted concerns over surgery performed by the neurosurgeon in Coventry, Warwick and Northampton.

The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) was also asked to investigate four of Mr El-Maghraby cases. Mr El-Maghraby was employed by The University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust (UHCW) and private Woodland Hospital in Kettering, operated by Ramsay Healthcare.

I am involved in several cases relating to high profile media reports and reviews by professional bodies and NHS trusts. Currently I am acting on behalf of a client harmed by Anthony Dixon, who performed unnecessary pelvic floor operations on more than 200 women instead of offering less invasive treatments.

Anthony Dixon worked for North Bristol NHS Trust and Spire private hospital. The operations were performed between 2007 and 2017. The surgery left dozens of women with unmanageable pain, incontinence, trauma, and serious psychological harm. Many client’s had undergone a procedure called laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy (LVMR), in which plastic mesh is inserted to repair weakened tissue in the pelvic floor, when surgery was not actually indicated.  These cases can leave to life long trauma, with permanent symptoms and many will involve removal of the mesh.

For more information about mesh implants and the impact of the surgery on hundreds of women in England Wales, click here.

If you receive a letter or news of an investigation into poor treatment and care in a clinical setting (such as a hospital or care home) or by a medical professional (such as a doctor or care assistant), our Healthcare & Clinical Risk team can act quickly to get you answers.

• We will seek to contact the hospital immediately
• Discover the scope of the investigation
• Confirm the investigation’s processes
• What medical records were reviewed
• Who were the medical experts instructed to assist the investigation
• How the conclusion of the investigation was reached
• We will obtain your medical records
• Assess the care and treatment you were provided
• Assess whether additional injury or illness occurred as a result of any poor care or treatment
• Assess whether the injury or illness was avoidable
• Pursue a compensation claim for you, if appropriate

Knowing that your treatment and care is under investigation can be a worry. It is important to seek support if you feel you need it. Often a hospital will offer you counselling but we can also signpost you to other services that will help you cope at such a difficult time.