Great Ormond Street surgeon harmed 94 children, review finds
Nearly 100 children were harmed by a Great Ormond Street surgeon, according to an independent review,Great Ormond Street hospital (Gosh) conducted an independent review of nearly 800 patients treated by the consultant orthopaedic surgeon Yaser Jabbar between 2017 and 2022, who specialised in limb lengthening and reconstruction,Of the 789 children under his care, the study concluded that 94 were specifically harmed as a result of his actions, of whom 91 had been operated on by Jabbar,Announcing the findings, Matthew Shaw, the chief executive of Gosh, said everyone at the hospital was “profoundly sorry” for all those affected and promised the trust had learned lessons,“We have made significant changes to both the orthopaedic service itself and across the hospital to minimise the chance of something like this happening again.
Many of these changes are designed to help spot potential issues before they become a risk to patient care.“We know this comes too late for the families affected by this issue, but we are committed to ensuring our hospital is a better and safer place for all current and future patients.”The report found that 36 children suffered severe hurt, such as delayed diagnosis or failed surgery, while 39 patients came to moderate harm and 19 patients were mildly harmed, such as being given unnecessary general anaesthetic.The study also reported that 642 patients did not come to harm that could be attributed to the surgeon.The report follows a previous review of the hospital’s paediatric orthopaedic service by the Royal College of Surgeons after concerns were raised by some patients’ families as well as staff.
Some of the children reportedly ended up with one leg up to 20cm shorter than the other, while others were left with ongoing chronic pain and one child had a limb amputated, which experts said later could have been avoided,Gosh said it had already implemented the royal college’s recommendations, which included more training on dealing with complaints, better support for whistleblowing, all surgical patients to be reviewed by multidisciplinary teams, and ensuring the most complex cases were discussed with the Royal National Orthopaedic hospital,Jabbar, who now works in the United Arab Emirates, no longer has a licence to practise medicine in the UK,Responding to the findings, NHS England announced its own independent review, due to start in February, which will focus on potential failures in governance,An NHS England London spokesperson said: “The issues raised in the report are deeply distressing for everyone affected.
As the commissioner of services, we have a responsibility to make sure the NHS learns and improves when standards fall short.“We are commissioning an independent patient safety investigation to examine how Great Ormond Street hospital responded when potential harm was identified within the limb-lengthening service.This will add to the existing understanding of what happened in this case and make sure that the NHS learns from this to protect children, young people and their families in the future.”Julia Reynolds, a partner at the law firm Leigh Day, which is representing some of the families of the children affected, said too few families were asked by the review team about their cases, in effect ignoring them again.“Patients have been left too long to learn that Gosh now acknowledges the severe harm that Yaser Jabbar caused to children in his care and that they did not listen when patients and even other staff raised concerns.
“Although reassurances have been offered, only time will tell that Gosh has understood that managers need to listen to patients who tell them they believe something is wrong with the treatment they have received.“As Martha’s law has shown all too tragically, this pattern of listening to families too late is something that NHS managers and staff need to address and deal with urgently.”She added that “families need to be involved” – instead they were yet again “treated as peripheral to the learning and remediation process”.Georgina Wade, an associate solicitor at Tees Law, said: “We are supporting a number of patients and their families who have been profoundly affected by Mr Jabbar’s treatment.“In some cases, children with already complex or life-limiting conditions were subjected to unnecessary and invasive procedures that have left them with ongoing, and in some cases permanent injuries.
Families describe the emotional and physical toll as devastating, alongside a complete loss of trust in a system they relied on for years.“Many are still coming to terms with the shock of what has happened and are seeking accountability, transparency and reassurance that lessons will be learned to better protect children in the future.I would urge anyone who has been affected by the investigations to reach out to us.”A royal college spokesperson said it was “extremely upsetting to learn that Great Ormond Street hospital’s independent review has identified harm to a significant number of children”.They added: “Fully understanding what has happened is essential so that lessons are learned and families receive the clarity and support they deserve.
”A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “This case is truly shocking,Our deepest sympathies are with all the children and their families who have been harmed,“We are working with NHS England and regulators so Great Ormond Street hospital implements all safety recommendations outlined by the Royal College of Surgeons in 2023, including robust systems in place for staff and patients to raise concerns and ensure this cannot happen again,“NHS England will launch an independent investigation into the management and culture of the hospital,”
Trump nominates Kevin Warsh as next Fed chair; eurozone economy keeps growing – business live
The identity of the next person to run America’s central bank – and face firm pressure from Donald Trump to cut interest rates – could be revealed today.President Trump told reporters last night that he would announce a successor to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday morningTrump hinted that it would be “somebody that could have been there a few years ago ... I think it’s going to be a very good choice
Donald Trump nominates Kevin Warsh as chair of Federal Reserve
Donald Trump has announced Kevin Warsh as his nomination for the next chair of the Federal Reserve.Writing on his Truth Social platform, the president said: “I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best.”The move ends months of speculation about who Trump would pick to replace Jerome Powell as head of the US central bank, amid an extraordinary attempt by the president to influence policymaking by repeatedly calling for rate cuts.Warsh, 55, a former Federal Reserve governor who has deep ties to Wall Street, had previously interviewed for the job of chair in 2017 when the role went to Powell, whose term ends in May.Warsh has given past warnings of inflation risks in the US, although has more recently echoed the president’s criticism of the Fed for being too slow to cut interest rates
AI-generated news should carry ‘nutrition’ labels, thinktank says
AI-generated news should carry “nutrition” labels and tech companies must pay publishers for the content they use, according to a left-of-centre thinktank, amid rising use of the technology as a source for current affairs.The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said AI firms were rapidly emerging as the new “gatekeepers” of the internet and intervention was needed to create a healthy AI news environment.It recommended standardised labels for AI-generated news, showing what information had been used to create those answers, including peer-reviewed studies and articles from professional news organisations. It also urged the establishment of a licensing regime in the UK allowing publishers to negotiate with tech companies over the use of their content in AI news.“If AI companies are going to profit from journalism and shape what the public sees, they must be required to pay fairly for the news they use and operate under clear rules that protect plurality, trust and the long-term future of independent journalism,” said Roa Powell, senior research fellow at IPPR and the report’s co-author
Apple reports massive spike in iPhone revenue, particularly in China
Apple released its first quarter earnings on Thursday, exceeding Wall Street’s expectations and seeing its revenue skyrocket 16% from the same time last year.“Apple is proud to report a remarkable, record-breaking quarter, with revenue of $143.8bn,” Tim Cook, the company’s CEO, said in a statement. “iPhone had its best-ever quarter driven by unprecedented demand, with all-time records across every geographic segment.”The tech titan’s reported revenue went far beyond analyst’s forecasts of $138
Novak Djokovic v Jannik Sinner: Australian Open 2026 semi-final – live
Third set: *Djokovic 3-6, 6-2, 0-1 Sinner (*next server)A few more struggles for Sinner on serve in the second set, but he gets through this one with little trouble. Blink and you’ll miss it.Hello, it’s like the boys get the briefing today about the need for a bit of drama. Djokovic, who has nipped off court for a quick ‘outfit change’, is keeping Sinner waiting ahead of the third set. Sinner to serve
Alexander Zverev fumes over Alcaraz’s timeout for cramp in semi-final thriller
A weary Alexander Zverev described the decision to allow a medical timeout for a cramping Carlos Alcaraz in their epic Australian Open semi-final as “bullshit”, but didn’t want the matter to take the focus off the quality of Friday’s memorable encounter.The German failed to capitalise on breaks in the second and fifth sets, as the world No 1 rallied from his physical ailments to win 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-7 (4) 7-5 in five hours and 27 minutes.Tournament rules allow medical timeouts for injuries but not muscle cramps. However, the decision is left to the attending physio and doctor.Alcaraz clutched at the inside of his right groin late in the third set and was moving gingerly – indicating either cramp or a more severe injury – and was allowed a medical timeout after seeking attention from the physio
Great Ormond Street surgeon harmed 94 children, review finds
Dr Saboor Mir obituary
Tell us: do you live in a multigenerational house share?
Farage attack on high street Turkish barber shops is dog-whistle racism, minister says
Survey of over-50s women finds almost two in three struggle with mental health
Record number of offenders being recalled to prison in England and Wales