'Malicious bid to smear' Staffordshire doctor's name

Families of three patients have received "malicious letters" making allegations about an "exonerated" surgeon, a hospital trust has said.

Investigations found "no wrongdoing" by Dr Changez Jadun, who works as a brain surgeon at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.

Allegations had been raised about the safety of his surgical procedures in 2009 and 2011, the trust said.

The trust said it would be contacting Staffordshire Police.

It said it had begun an investigation on 1 May, after the family of one patient told the trust about the letters.

The trust said the family had explained they had received two anonymous letters stating their relative had "undergone serious harm as a direct consequence of a brain surgical procedure" and were advised to "contact the press, the Ombudsman and their MP".

A further two families have subsequently been in touch, the trust added.

It said it had asked interventional radiologist Dr Andrew Molyneux to look at the care the three patients had received and his report had showed no issues were found.

Dr Molyneux looked at a total of 118 cases involving Dr Jadun and was "happy with all the outcomes", the trust said.

Dr Jadun was stopped from performing some procedures after concerns were raised about his work in 2009 and 2011.

The hospital trust said those concerns had been investigated by a panel of experts appointed by the Royal College of Radiologists, who had found no wrongdoing on behalf of the doctor.

Medical director Dr Gavin Russell said it believed the letters were "not whistleblowing, but a malicious attempt to smear the name of a hard working doctor" at the trust.

He added: "When allegations were made in 2011 we removed the doctor from performing interventional radiology procedures... because of the seriousness of the accusations.

"Patient safety was and always will be our first priority, so we investigated the allegations, took the appropriate action and erred on the side of caution for our patients.

"However, with another independent investigation complete and the doctor exonerated, we are now convinced that these letters are malicious."

Staffordshire Police said it had not yet been contacted by the hospital trust.