Parliamentary activity

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

My Rt Hon. Friend the Secertary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock) has made the following written statement:

Today the report of the Independent Inquiry into the issues raised by the former breast surgeon Ian Paterson has been published.

This report follows two years of work by the Inquiry, led by Bishop Graham James. The Bishop has adopted a strong commitment to a “patients and families first” approach to public disclosure, which means that the process of public disclosure began earlier this morning with the patients and families themselves.

The report contains an analysis of the circumstances surrounding Ian Paterson’s malpractice that has affected so many patients and considers other past and current practices. It also tells the stories of patients who came forward to provide evidence to the Inquiry, which bears testament to their courage. As such it makes for difficult reading and it is with deep regret that we have to acknowledge the failure of the NHS and the independent sector to protect patients from Paterson’s malpractice.

The public should be able to trust that a health professional will never again be allowed to place personal gain or advancement over the best interests of his or her patients whether care is funded by the NHS or privately. It is therefore essential that the whole of the health sector responds quickly and effectively to the lessons of this inquiry. The Government will give a thorough and detailed consideration of its findings over the coming weeks.

We expect now for all the relevant agencies and organisations both nationally and locally, and across the whole healthcare sector to give this report urgent and thorough attention.

Once that work is done, the relevant agencies will decide what steps to take next.

Copies of the report will be laid before the House and will be available from the Vote Office and at: https://www.gov.uk

An oral statement will be delivered to the House today.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

My Hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Mental Health, Inequalities and Suicide Prevention (Jackie Doyle-Price) has made the following written statement:

It is normal practice, when a government department proposes to undertake a contingent liability in excess of £300,000 for which there is not statutory authority, for the Minister concerned to present a departmental Minute to Parliament giving particulars of the liability created and explaining the circumstances; and to refrain from incurring the liability until fourteen parliamentary sitting days after the issue of the statement, except in cases of special urgency.

I have today laid a departmental Minute proposing to provide an indemnity that is necessary in respect of a Department of Health and Social Care established non-statutory, independent inquiry into the issues raised by the malpractice of the former breast surgeon, Ian Paterson, in the independent sector and the NHS. The actions of Ian Paterson have affected a significant number of patients. The disclosures about the seriousness and extent of his malpractice are deeply and profoundly shocking. The Inquiry reflects the Government’s commitments to ensuring lessons are learnt in the interest of patient protection and safety, both in the independent sector and the NHS.

In 2017, the Minister of State for Health announced the establishment of the Inquiry (HCWS323, on 7 December 2017) to be chaired by The Right Reverend Graham James, Bishop of Norwich. This indemnity will cover the entire duration of the Inquiry’s work, from December 2017 until when the Inquiry submits its report, now expected at the end of 2019. The indemnity will cover the Chair and all independent advisers appointed to the Inquiry against any liability for any act done or omission made honestly and in good faith in the execution of his or her duty as such, or in the purported execution of his or her duty as such. The indemnity only applies to acts done or omissions made during the course of the Inquiry. If the liability is called, provision for any payment will be sought through the normal Supply procedure.

The Treasury has approved the proposal in principle. If, during the period of fourteen parliamentary sitting days beginning on the date on which this Minute was laid before Parliament, a member signifies an objection by giving notice of a Parliamentary Question or by otherwise raising the matter in Parliament, final approval to proceed with incurring the liability will be withheld pending an examination of the objection.

I attach a copy of the departmental Minute.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

My hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Jackie Doyle-Price) has made the following statement:

On 7 December 2017, Philip Dunne MP, Minister of State for Health, announced an independent, non-statutory Inquiry, under the Chairmanship of The Right Reverend Graham James, Lord Bishop of Norwich into the circumstances and practices surrounding the former breast surgeon Ian Paterson, who was convicted in April 2017 of wounding with intent and unlawful wounding.

Since then the Bishop has worked with affected families to ensure their views are taken into account in shaping the terms of reference.

Today, I can announce the terms of reference for the Inquiry, which will report in summer 2019.

The remit of the independent, non-statutory Paterson inquiry will be to:

Examine and seek to learn from what happened to former patients of Ian Paterson, both in the independent sector and in the NHS informed by their experiences and concerns; and

Review the circumstances and practices surrounding Ian Paterson as a case study, and consider other past and current practices, so as to draw conclusions in relation to the safety and quality of care provided nationally to all patients.

The Inquiry will consider issues raised in previous relevant reports about Ian Paterson, but does not intend to revisit the evidence that led to his conviction.

A central objective of the Inquiry is to afford former patients of Ian Paterson and their families an opportunity to tell of their experiences and to be heard.

The Inquiry will aim to report its conclusions and recommendations by summer 2019. The Inquiry will publish its report and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will make arrangements for its presentation to Parliament.

This announcement marks the beginning of the important work of the Inquiry in listening to the experiences of former patients and gathering other evidence to ensure that the independent healthcare sector and the NHS are able to learn the lessons from Ian Paterson’s appalling malpractice that has taken or damaged the lives of so many people who invested their trust in him.

I attach a copy of the Terms of Reference.

Answering body: Department of Health

My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Health has made the following written statement:

Ian Paterson, a consultant breast surgeon who was employed by the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (HEFT), and had practising privileges in the independent sector at Spire Parkway and Spire Little Aston, was found guilty in April this year of 17 counts of wounding with intent. He was sentenced to jail for 20 years.

The Government is appalled by the actions of Ian Paterson and the harm that has affected a significant number of patients. The disclosures about the seriousness and extent of his malpractice are deeply and profoundly shocking.

The Government committed to ensuring lessons were learnt in the interest of patient protection and safety, both in the independent sector and the NHS.

Today, I am announcing the establishment of an independent, Non-Statutory Inquiry into the circumstances and practices surrounding Ian Paterson that have affected so many patients. I have asked The Right Revd Graham James, Bishop of Norwich to chair the Inquiry.

The Inquiry should be informed by the victims of Paterson and families’ concerns, and seek to learn from their experience. Therefore, the Inquiry will look at the local care and treatment for private patients in the Solihull area, and review current and past practices to establish if safeguards for patients treated at independent healthcare providers have fallen short of the standards the public has a right to expect. This will help to inform the broader lessons applicable to care provided by the independent healthcare sector across the country.

The Inquiry is likely to consider issues including, but not limited to:

the responsibility for the quality of care in the independent sector; appraisal, revalidation and multi-disciplinary working in the independent sector

information sharing, reporting of activity and raising concerns between the independent sector and the NHS;

and the role of insurers of independent sector providers (including sharing of data), and arrangements for medical indemnity cover for clinicians in the independent sector.

The Inquiry will also draw on issues raised in previous relevant reports about Paterson.

It is not intended to revisit the evidence that we already have about Paterson and that led to his conviction.

The terms of reference and other arrangements relating to the inquiry will be published in due course after a period of engagement.

The Inquiry will be formally established from January 2018 and will report in summer 2019.

I am confident that Bishop Graham will oversee a thorough and independent non-statutory inquiry and deliver his recommendations swiftly.