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James underwent what has now been assessed as two botched procedures, which the hospital’s internal review is expected to say had caused him “severe” harm. Good Morning Britain’s Ashna Hurynag reports
Books have always been close to James Wood’s heart, so it is no surprise he’s now studying English Literature at university.
But it’s been a journey to get him here.
James has been in and out of hospital all his life. He was born with Popliteal Pterygium Syndrome, a condition that causes skin webbing between joints that can make it difficult to fully extend arms and legs.
By the age of four, James had had one successful operation to help straighten his left leg, so when he was booked in again, aged 12, to have the same procedure, he knew what to expect.
But James’ doctor this time at Great Ormond Street Hospital was Yaser Jabbar, who is expected to be widely condemned by the Great Ormond Street Hospital review.
James underwent what has now been assessed as two botched procedures, which the hospital’s internal review is expected to say had caused him “severe” harm.
The now 19-year-old is speaking to Good Morning Britain for the first time, sharing in visceral detail his experiences as a young boy under the care of the former doctor.
“I started getting these shooting, like shots of pain in my thigh. And I’ve had a lot of pain in my life, but this was like top of it all. I’d never had anything worse like this.”
That pain started just weeks after his first surgery with Mr Jabbar in April 2019. Twelve-year-old James had just had a frame fitted to his left leg, aimed at stretching the tissues in his knee.
But when staff eventually investigated his excruciating pain, they uncovered that one of the pins used to secure the frame had injured his femoral artery.
“I think once they cut me open…from what I heard…one of the nurses or someone said it was like it was a blood bath, like it was a lot of blood and there was panic.”
He said after hours of corrective surgery, he felt numb: “I remember after the surgery, I think my mum tried to take me out on a walk just to, like, get me out, because I’ve been in the hospital for ages at this point. I remember sitting in the wheelchair, and I felt like a husk of a person. Like, I felt hollow.”
James is choosing to share these experiences for the first time ahead of the long-awaited publication of the review on Thursday afternoon. Credit: Good Morning Britain
James is one of 789 patients of Mr Jabbar’s whose care has been assessed as part of an internal review of the Orthopedic department at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
As part of an independent review into James’ treatment, experts said “poor surgical skill” by Mr Jabbar had resulted in a pin being inserted into his thigh when the frame was fitted.
The review also criticised Mr Jabbar’s apparent lack of consideration of alternative treatments to surgery, saying they were “either not discussed or not documented”.
James is choosing to share these experiences for the first time ahead of the long-awaited publication of the review on Thursday afternoon.
Ahead of its release, each patient and their family have received a letter of apology from the chief executive.
Mr Jabbar has not held a licence to practice medicine in the UK since 2024 and is now living abroad.
He has told us he is unable to comment on individual cases due to patient confidentiality and due to an ongoing General Medical Council investigation.
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James and other families I’ve spoken to eagerly await the report, but worry it won’t go far enough.
Some families are now considering referring their cases to the Metropolitan Police.
James said: “He’s been able to just run away, which we, as the victims, can’t. And I think he should be held to justice for what he’s done. Not just me, but to everyone. He should be held accountable. He shouldn’t be allowed to just run away from the situation and just continue practising elsewhere. And the fact that even that was a possibility is absurd to me; it’s insane.”
A spokesperson for Great Ormond Street Hospital has told us: “We are profoundly sorry to all the patients and their families who have been affected by the care provided by Mr Jabbar, an Orthopaedic Surgeon, at our hospital between 2017- 2022.
“We hope that our report, which we will publish today, will show how seriously we have taken the review of the care by Mr Jabbar and what we have done as a result.
“We are working closely with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for Camden, who in turn works with other organisations, including the Police, as is standard when allegations are made against adults who work with children.”
James and other families I’ve spoken to eagerly await the report, but worry it won’t go far enough. Credit: Good Morning Britain
James credits his mother for her strength while caring for him during his recovery.
He will need further procedures in the future, but he’d rather put up with the pain for now, given his past experiences.
He had no idea how many other patients like him had also suffered harm; it’s a club none of them wish they were in.
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