Patient of Jailed Surgeon Ian Paterson Seeks Apology for Unnecessary Procedures

A woman who underwent two superfluous surgical procedures performed by the imprisoned surgeon Ian Paterson — one of which was for a hernia she did not possess — states that her sole desire is for him to issue an apology to his patients. Jacqueline Jones, aged 84, underwent three interventions by the disgraced medical professional during the 1990s, subsequently discovering over two decades later that two of these were unwarranted. With inquests commencing for 62 of his patients, Mrs. Jones, residing in Leamington Spa, recounted “shouting at the television” in her desire for him to offer an apology. She further expressed apprehension that additional patients might have received incorrect diagnoses for hernias and other ailments from Paterson. “It can’t just be me,” Mrs. Jones commented, having learned in 2021 that he had habitually “excessively diagnosed” the uncommon form of hernia he claimed she suffered from. Paterson, who received a 20-year prison sentence in 2017, is recognized for performing superfluous and hazardous breast surgeries. Mrs. Jones reached out to the BBC, expressing her frustration that the Birmingham-based physician was solely mentioned in connection with breast cancer operations, despite her awareness that the extent of his malpractice was broader. “I was sitting shouting at the TV going ‘what about all the other ones, it’s not just breast cancer’,” she stated. Mrs. Jones had also been diagnosed with breast cancer during the 1990s, for which Paterson performed surgery at Spire Little Aston Hospital. Nevertheless, the subsequent day, he informed her that he had not excised all the malignant tissue and that an additional procedure was requisite. “I had no scan, he hadn’t checked me,” she recounted. She explained that, feeling distressed due to the breast cancer diagnosis at that time, she proceeded with the operation the following day. “And I never thought [it was unnecessary]. You don’t think, you just accept what they’re saying.” Several years later, in 1998, Mrs. Jones visited her general practitioner due to pain she was experiencing, and the doctor recommended she return to Paterson, given his prior surgical involvement with her. Paterson diagnosed her with a femoral hernia and performed an invasive surgical procedure. Two decades subsequently, during a comprehensive search for his former patients, Spire Healthcare informed Mrs. Jones in writing that Paterson had “excessively diagnosed” the uncommon hernia type he attributed to her, and that both her hernia operation and the second breast procedure were superfluous. She was awarded £17,000 in compensation for undergoing these unwarranted interventions. “I’ve been such a positive person all my life, until I found out what had happened,” she stated. “Then that really really threw me. I felt terrible.” She mentioned that she had consistently felt apprehensive about undergoing surgery, as her father had passed away during an operation. Mrs. Jones also noted that she continued to suffer from the pain for which she was initially referred to Paterson. As per Slater and Gordon Lawyers, Paterson conducted numerous inadequate and superfluous hernia repair operations, with one individual undergoing seven groin hernia procedures across two decades. Additional negligent surgical interventions performed by Paterson encompassed unwarranted colonoscopies, vascular surgery, including superfluous vein stripping procedures, and unnecessary chemotherapy. Paterson received convictions for 20 charges of wounding and is predominantly linked to his contentious “cleavage-sparing mastectomies,” a practice that resulted in cancerous breast tissue remaining in numerous patients. A representative for Spire Healthcare stated that they had “contacted all known living patients of Ian Paterson and reviewed their care – including cancer and non-cancer related treatments.” They further commented: “We have apologised to patients who did not receive an appropriate level of care when treated by Ian Paterson in our hospitals.” Nevertheless, the apology Mrs. Jones truly desires originates from Paterson personally. She remarked: “[I’ve] shouted at the television, ‘just say you’re sorry, just do it, [for] all women who’ve gone through it, and some much worse than me.'”