Disgraced surgeon Ian Paterson struck off by tribunal

Ian Paterson was jailed for 15 years in May

Disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson who carried out unnecessary cancer operations has been struck off.

Paterson, 59, was sentenced in May to 15 years in jail for 17 counts of wounding with intent and three counts of unlawful wounding.

Nottingham Crown Court heard he exaggerated or invented the risk of cancer in patients.

A tribunal has now ruled his actions were "serious, calculated, and sustained" over a 14-year period.

Paterson, of Altrincham, Greater Manchester, was sentenced on 31 May for procedures he carried out while working at at the privately-run Little Aston and Parkway hospitals in the West Midlands.

He was not legally represented at the two-day disciplinary hearing in Manchester and had previously expressed the desire to be struck off without the need for a hearing.

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Delivering its ruling earlier, the panel said: "The 10 patients who attended Mr Paterson were anxious about the physical symptoms they were experiencing.

"They put their trust in Mr Paterson to provide them with truthful medical advice, based on the results of assessments.

"The tribunal determined that Mr Paterson exploited this trust in order to carry out unnecessary procedures."

He showed a "pattern of behaviour which involved deceit and violence, and resulted in life-long consequences for the patients involved", the panel added.

He was suspended by the GMC after his initial arrest.

The NHS has paid almost £10m in compensation to his victims, while more than 600 private patients will pursue civil action against him later this year.