Call to suspend medics under police investigation

Charlotte Smart and her mother want medics under investigation to be suspended to "uphold the integrity of the health system"

A Sussex woman is calling for medical professionals to be suspended during police investigations to safeguard both patients and practitioners.

Charlotte Smart said her mother, Sarah Shaddock, was paralysed and had to use a wheelchair following an operation at a hospital in Brighton.

Ms Smart said there was a "troubling gap" regarding surgeons or consultants who were under active investigation by the police.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the General Medical Council (GMC) could request an interim restriction on a clinician's registration if there was thought to be "an immediate risk to patient safety".

The care Ms Smart's mother received from the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust at the Royal Sussex County hospital is being investigated by Sussex Police as part of Operation Bramber, which is looking into at least 200 cases of alleged medical negligence.

The force is examining concerns about avoidable harm and cover-ups in the trust's neurosurgery and general surgery departments between 2015 and 2021.

The trust runs seven hospitals across East and West Sussex.

Dr Andy Heeps, acting chief executive officer at the trust, said: "As a trust we monitor every aspect of patient care incredibly closely, including all of our individual surgeons and the wider surgical teams they work alongside.

"If there is ever any reason for concern we investigate, and we are absolutely clear that we would always take any action necessary to keep patients safe."

Ms Smart argued that patients trusted medical professionals with their lives, and maintaining this trust should remain a "top priority."

She said: "When a surgeon or consultant is under investigation, especially for matters that threaten public safety, it is essential to suspend them from duties until the investigation is concluded."

In a petition on change.org, Ms Smart called for the suspensions, saying: "Such a measure not only protects potential patients but also upholds the integrity of our health system."

'Duty to investigate'

The BBC has seen a recent letter sent to families impacted by Operation Bramber.

In it, Sussex Police said its investigation team remained "committed to carrying out specific lines of enquiry, obtaining evidential statements, completing reports and conducting interviews with those connected to the investigation."

It added that from the cases assessed so far, "the medical expert reviews have not revealed any evidence that would support a criminal investigation".

The force has previously stated that due to the complex nature of the enquiries the investigation was "likely to take some time to complete".

A DHSC spokesperson said the government shared the public's concerns around the investigations and its thoughts were with those affected.

They added: "If a concern is raised about a doctor's fitness to practise, the General Medical Council has a statutory duty to investigate, and where necessary, take action."