Ian Paterson: Nine further inquests set to be opened

Ian Paterson is currently serving a 20-year jail sentence for wounding with intent

Inquests will be opened into the deaths of nine more patients of jailed breast surgeon Ian Paterson, a hearing heard.

Judge Richard Foster said teams had reviewed 417 cases of former patients, where breast cancer had been listed as a cause of death in part one of the death certificate.

Of those, 36 deaths in total are the subject of an inquest with a further 21 cases also likely to be reviewed.

Paterson is currently serving a 20-year jail sentence for wounding with intent.

He had been found guilty of carrying out unnecessary or unapproved procedures on more than 1,000 breast cancer patients over a period of 14 years.

A report by the Heart of England Trust in 2017, when Paterson was jailed, found that 675 of his 1,206 mastectomy patients had died.

Dating back to 2020, coroners had already opened 27 inquests into the deaths' of his former patients, with the nine additional inquests set to be opened on 14 July.

Paterson had worked at Spire Parkway Hospital and Spire Little Aston Hospital in the West Midlands between 1997 and 2011, as well as NHS hospitals run by the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust.

Of the 36 patients currently subject to an inquest, 29 were NHS patients and seven were Spire patients.

Speaking at a pre-inquest hearing held at Birmingham and Solihull Coroner's Court on Friday, Judge Foster said a further 130 cases where breast cancer was included as cause of death in part two of the death certificate had also been reported and may be reviewed in the future.

'Systemic failings'

The inquest, expected to formally begin in the autumn of 2024, is set to assess whether Paterson's actions or wider systemic failures contributed to the deaths of his patients.

Judge foster said "systemic failings" would also form part of his investigations into Paterson's actions.

"My duty is to ensure that the relevant facts are fully, fairly and fearlessly investigated. It is also likely that I will be considering a report to prevent further deaths," he said.

Addressing the families of former patients who had died, he added: "Although much of today's proceedings will focus upon the wider systemic issues, I want to reassure you that throughout you will always remain at the heart of my investigations, and I will leave no stone unturned in that endeavour."

Judge Foster suggested another pre-inquest review hearing would be scheduled for later this year.

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