Ian Paterson: Government 'still committed' to report implementation

The health secretary said the government had committed to "concrete actions", but critics said it had just "kicked the can further down the road"

The government has said it is "as committed as ever" to learning lessons from the case of the disgraced breast surgeon, Ian Paterson.

Paterson was jailed in 2017 after he was found to have carried out needless operations on patients.

An inquiry recommended all his patients be recalled, and at least 750 victims have already been awarded compensation.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said patients must never be let "down like this again".

In the spotlight during Paterson's trial was a "cleavage-sparing" mastectomy where he only removed a small amount of tissue to allow women to keep some shape to their breasts.

However, in some cases cancer returned.

A number of victims have complained the government's response to an inquiry in 2020 has been too slow.

In a statement, Mr Javid said the implementation of the recommendations from that inquiry had been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

He said while the government accepted in principle most recommendations, some "require further consideration and consultation to ensure that we can deliver real and lasting change".

• Compensation for more patients of breast surgeon

• Woman 'flabbergasted' to discover rogue operations

• Inquests open into deaths of surgeon's victims

Two of the 15 recommendations have not been accepted by the government.

One was that an investigation into a healthcare professional's behaviour should trigger a suspension, if there was a perceived risk to safety.

Mr Javid said it was wrong to impose a blanket rule.

The other recommendation was that private providers should not be eligible for NHS contracted work unless they had implemented all the recommendations.

Mr Javid said this would be kept "under review" and would need to be monitored so as to "not reduce the capacity available to the NHS for providing care".

Paterson is serving a 20-year jail term for 17 counts of wounding with intent

He said some action had already been taken, and a plan has been produced for the implementation of the recommendations.

'Get on with it'

Another progress report will be delivered in 12 months' time Mr Javid added.

Debbie Douglas, who was instrumental in getting the independent inquiry established, asked: "Why don't they just get on with it?"

She added: "You've got all the right people around the table, just go do it."

Ann Butler, from the NHS Support Group, said people had worked "long and hard" on the inquiry.

"It's been downgraded and things we thought would be done are not done. They've just kicked the can further down the road," she said.