Greater Manchester hip replacements: Post-surgery checks not carried out

Rochdale Infirmary was one of four hospitals where the hip replacement operations took place

Hundreds of hip replacement patients were left at risk of tissue damage and other problems because post-surgery checks were not done, a review found.

At four Greater Manchester hospitals between 2001 and 2011, 332 patients were given metal-on-metal hip implants.

They did not have the recommended follow-up tests, with one patient suffering "serious harm" as a result.

The Northern Care Alliance, responsible for the four hospitals, has apologised for the "serious incident".

The patients, treated at Rochdale Infirmary, Fairfield General, North Manchester General and Royal Oldham, should have had scans or X-rays, blood tests and regular out-patient appointments after they had a hip replacement.

The tests are designed to monitor any bone and tissue damage or deterioration, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

'Serious incident'

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency recommends patients' blood is checked for the presence of metal ions.

This is because ion levels can indicate artificial hips' levels of wear.

A report by the Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group's lead nurse for safeguarding, Alison Kelly, said the failure to carry out the tests, although not life-threatening, had been classified as a "serious incident".

The Salford Royal-led Northern Care Alliance took over the hospitals in 2016.

Its patient safety and professional standards director Paul Downes said: "We would like to apologise to all patients concerned and reassure the public that we have introduced new systems to stop this from happening again.

"This does not affect other specialities and is limited to metal-on-metal follow-up appointments only."

The hospitals no longer perform metal-on-metal hip replacements.

Appointments for all patients have now been arranged.