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22 April 2024

Whistleblower criticises University Hospital Sussex for putting patients at risk

2 mins

Senior NHS Neurosurgeon Dr Mansoor Foroughi has been critical of University Hospital Sussex, alleging that there were an estimated 105 suspected cases of medical negligence over a six-year period, according to the Guardian newspaper.

Dr Foroughi has claimed that a colleague was given approval to undertake advanced spinal surgery without satisfactory training, mentoring, supervision, or competency checks. He has additionally claimed that another colleague performed medical procedures that resulted in unexplainable levels of death and harm. Dr Foroughi was subsequently dismissed by the hospital in 2022, according to the BBC. The BBC have also reported that at Dr Foroughi’s employment tribunal, he described the hospital as having a ‘gang culture’.

The Sussex police have now been called to undertake their own separate investigation into these suspected medical negligence claims, of which there are thought to have been at least 105 separate cases.

The Guardian has reported that Dr. Latifa Patel, who is a representative chair at the British Medical Association (BMA), on hearing about the events said in a statement to the press that:

We’ve heard with great concern the appalling treatment of these doctors after raising patient safety concerns at the trust, and continue to offer them our wholehearted support. In an NHS still intoxicated with a culture of blame, whistleblowers need to be listened to and protected, not silenced and scapegoated.

Specialist lawyers

Our specialist Clinical Negligence team offers expert advice in relation to addressing deaths or significant patient harm arising as a result of medical negligence.

If you or a loved one has received care from the University Hospital of Sussex that you believe was negligent, then you may be entitled to claim compensation. Call our team on +44 20 7833 4433 or make an enquiry through our website.

This article was co-authored by paralegal Kishan Sheth, who works within the Medical Negligence team.

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