Whistleblower alerts police over woman's surgery

A woman who had two surgical operations on the same day has been told by police that her case is part of Operation Bramber – an investigation into alleged malpractice at Royal Sussex County Hospital.

The woman, who wants to remain anonymous, had spinal surgery at the hospital in Brighton in 2017. She was then told she required a second operation due to blood clots.

A whistleblower has since claimed the woman instead suffered a spinal haematoma, which the woman now believes could be behind her continuing health problems.

The University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust said it was unable to comment on ongoing police investigations.

The woman was admitted for surgery for an arachnoid cyst before she had her wounds reopened for a further operation, which the surgeon told her was because of blood clots.

But Sussex Police has recently told the woman that a whistleblower said she had a haematoma on her spine, not blood clots.

A spinal subdural or epidural hematoma is a rare accumulation of blood that can mechanically compress the spinal cord.

The woman and her legal team claim she has never been offered physiotherapy or other support by the hospital since her operation – and says although she is in her 50s, she "feels like an old woman".

"I had no idea about the haematoma," she said.

"When I was informed of this, I couldn't get it out of my mind. At first I was upset, but now I'm really angry. Why did they keep this from me?

"To be told your case is part of a police investigation is really very shocking."

The trust has been linked to more than 200 cases under investigation.

Prof Katie Urch, chief medical officer at the trust, said she could not comment on ongoing police investigations, but offered "sincere sympathies" to those involved.

"Many of these cases go back many years and so we are keen to support Sussex Police in any way we can to progress their enquiries as quickly as possible, and to allow us to learn any lessons for the future," she said.

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