A few weeks ago, we wrote about Mr. Yaser Jabbar, an orthopaedic surgeon at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), who is currently under investigation by the General Medical Council (GMC). The investigation was initiated following allegations that several children were subjected to incorrect and unnecessary operations, resulting in severe and life-changing conditions.
This review has now been widened to include Mr. Jabbar’s work at four more hospitals, including St John and St Elizabeth Hospital, Cromwell Hospital, the Portland Hospital, and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital where Mr. Jabbar operated on both adults and children.
The review into Mr. Jabbar’s actions at GOSH was first brought to our attention by The Sunday Times, which reportedly obtained a confidential report prepared by the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS). The report was critical of Mr. Jabbar’s conduct but also raised concerns about a broader cultural issue at GOSH that may have allowed these incidents to take place.
We welcome the expansion of this review. It is important that every case involving Mr. Jabbar’s surgeries, at GOSH and the other hospitals, is thoroughly reviewed. The review is not just about accountability for Mr. Jabbar; it is about understanding how such practices were permitted. We hope that this process will expose any systemic failures, so that necessary changes can be made to prevent this from happening again.