In a statement to the BBC, Sir Jim said that after joining the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals Trust, he had met families affected by Ms Booth’s failures “to discuss and listen to their concerns and reiterate how sorry we are for their loss and the unimaginable hurt caused”.
Mr Mackey continued: “Following the formal referral made to the General Medical Council in 2022, the investigation into this surgeon’s practice is still ongoing – I recognise this is frustrating for everyone, and I have asked them what they can do to expedite this to reach a conclusion as soon as possible.”
Ms Booth said that due to the GMC review, “it would not be appropriate for me to comment publicly on specific matters at this time”.
An investigation by the Freeman Hospital found a number of failures by Ms Booth had contributed to her poor outcomes. As well as surgical errors, she was found to have had poor insight into her own levels of competence, partly through being inexperienced, and that she had failed to seek help from more senior colleagues.
At the time of the complaints, the cardiac unit at the Freeman was in disarray. A Royal College of Surgeons report in 2021 found a problematic working culture, while internal hospital reports criticised poor governance procedures, a reluctance from senior staff to take responsibility and an inadequate multi-disciplinary team (MDT) process – in which clinicians should come together prior to surgery to discuss the best options for patients.
Responding to the BBC, the hospital acknowledged the problems with the unit’s culture, saying it tried to protect patients at all times.
It said it was “currently considering” the next stage of Ms Booth’s phased return, “in line with appropriate standards, review recommendations and external advice”. It did not respond to the BBC’s questions as to whether it was safe for patients for Ms Booth to return to the cardiac unit, given the strong opposition from some of her colleagues.
In a statement, the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust said it acts “in the best interests of patients” and seeks “to maintain and protect patient safety at all times, taking account of concerns shared by clinical colleagues”.
