Woman’s Botched Surgery Payout

A WOMAN who claimed to have suffered physically and emotionally after botched breast surgery at a Yorkshire hospital has won “substantial compensation”, lawyers have revealed.

The patient, one of 30 currently taking action against the health trust which runs Barnsley Hospital, had three operations between October 2003 and April 2005.

She has since needed treatment to rectify problems caused by all three operations – and still needs more corrective surgery in the future.

The victory marks the end of the first case brought by Barnsley- based Raleys, which is representing 12 of the 30 former patients suing Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Solicitor Michelle Gyte, of Raleys, said: “I can confirm that we have negotiated a settlement on behalf of our client, who has asked to remain anonymous, and she is more than happy with the substantial damages the trust has agreed to pay her. No amount of money can take away the pain and scars – both physical and mental – that she has suffered over the last five years, but now she has a sense of justice being served.”

The three initial operations were performed by different medical staff, with the reduction carried out by consultant breast surgeon Puvaneswary Markandoo.

Ms Markandoo was suspended from working at the hospital in July 2006, after concerns were raised by a number of patients, and the General Medical Council is carrying out an investigation.

“In the years since she started treatment for cancer, which was very distressing as one can imagine, my client experienced numerous problems related to all three operations and remains in a considerable amount of pain and distress to this day,” said Miss Gyte.

“The damages she will now receive might help her to move on more comfortably from this incredibly distressing period in her life.”

Miss Gyte said the value of the settlement was not being revealed to ensure subsequent cases were not prejudiced and added that the victory was “just the first in the long battle to win justice” for her other clients.

David Hicks, medical director at Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We apologise again to this patient and the other patients involved. We are working to resolve the other cases as soon as possible.”

(c) 2008 Yorkshire Post. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.