Surgeon urged to give evidence at boy's inquest

3 hours ago

Lewis Adams

News image — Jack Moate died in "constant agonising pain" after surgery at Addenbrooke's Hospital, his mother said

Family handout Jack Moate in front of a brick sea wall on a sandy beach. He has brown hair and is wearing a grey sweater. — Jack Moate died in "constant agonising pain" after surgery at Addenbrooke's Hospital, his mother said

Lawyers have urged a surgeon to give evidence at an inquest into the death of a nine-year-old boy she operated on.

Jack Moate died within weeks of orthopaedic consultant Kuldeep Stohr operating on him at the world-renowned Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, in November 2015.

A review of Jack's care found "evidence that fatal physical harm was caused" to him, prompting his death being referred to a coroner earlier in March.

Stohr previously said she was "co-operating fully" with an investigation into the care she provided.

An inquest into Jack's death is due to be opened and adjourned at Cambridgeshire Coroner's Court on Tuesday.

The youngster, who had many complex medical needs and limited mobility, spent almost eight hours having surgery on his hips.

Orthopaedic Academy Kuldeep Stohr looks at the camera during an NHS video she is taking part in. She is wearing a black and white blouse and a black cardigan. She has black, plastic-framed glasses on and greying hair which is tied back. She is sitting in an office with folders packed on to shelves in the background and some papers pinned to a board. — Surgeon Kuldeep Stohr worked at the hospital for 12 years before being suspended in 2024

He suffered "significant blood loss" in a procedure which ultimately left his right hip wrongly aligned and his left hip unstable and unhealed.

His mother, Elizabeth Moate, said he spent his final weeks in "constant agonising pain".

Jack's case was one of almost 700 looked at by independent experts in a review into Stohr's practice, commissioned by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

They claimed no post-operative imaging was taken before Jack was discharged from hospital and that, despite a later X-ray showing his hip was unstable, he was sent home again.

Elizabeth Maliakal, of Hudgell Solicitors, who are representing Moate, said she would ask Stohr to give oral evidence at the full inquest.

"There are many questions which need answering over the surgery," she said.

According to Hudgell Solicitors, Jack's cause of death was recorded in 2015 as deep vein thrombosis, cerebral palsy alongside epilepsy.

That could be reconsidered at the inquest given the findings of the review into his treatment.

PA Media Jack Moate is sitting on his mother's lap. He is wearing a dress-up red puffy hat and apron, over a blue T-shirt. His mother has long dark hair and a green top and a gold necklace. She is smiling at the camera. — Elizabeth Moate said Jack's care must be "fully and fearlessly" examined at the inquest

Jack's mum said: "For a decade, serious questions about his treatment, the surgery he underwent and the actions of Ms Stohr and the hospital have gone unanswered.

"I believe I deserve the opportunity to hear a clear and honest explanation of the surgery she performed on my son, and to understand why independent experts have been so critical of her work."

She said the inquest must "fully and fearlessly" examine Jack's care.

Concerns were first raised about Stohr by another consultant in March 2024.

Her solicitor earlier told the BBC she would not be commenting on the review's findings.

Stohr has previously stated she cannot comment on individual cases due to patient confidentiality.

She said: "I always strive to provide the highest standards of care to my patients."

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