Surgeon Sued for Botched Ops to Work in NHS

By Jeni Harvey

Puvaneswary Markandoo was suspended from Barnsley Hospital on full pay in July 2006, after a number of patients suffered pain, injury and disfigurement after operations, many following treatment for breast cancer.More than 30 women launched claims for compensation and the hospital has admitted negligence to at least three of those, who have since reached a settlement.Miss Markandoo, who earns up to 122,000 a year as a consultant, was found to be deficient in 11 areas including basic and specialist surgery, arranging treatment, referring patients, relationships with colleagues and working within laws and regulations.However, the General Medical Council has ruled that she should be allowed to continue practising on NHS patients, although she is now banned from working privately.Miss Markandoo is only allowed to continue practising under a number of conditions such as supervision and retraining which are not available in the private sector.Her case was never referred to a fitness to practise hearing as these conditions were regarded as being sufficient.Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust would not confirm whether Miss Markandoo would be returning to the hospital.Chief executive of the trust, Sandra Taylor, said: “We are aware of the GMC ruling and the undertakings given to them by Miss Markandoo.”These matters are now subject to legal discussions.”One of Miss Markandoo’s former patients said she was “outraged” by the GMC decision.Mary Jolly, of Wombwell in Barnsley, had surgery at Barnsley Hospital between October 2003 and April 2005.She has since needed treatment to rectify problems caused by all three operations, and in July this year won “substantial” damages against Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.The 56-year- old said of the news: “I didn’t think it would upset me as much as it has done, but I just keep crying. I thought at the very least they’d suspend her what more do you have to do to get suspended?”I was saying to my husband, if you stab someone with a knife you get put in prison, but this woman has been left with a knife in her hand to carry out more surgeries.”The fact that she’s been banned from carrying out private work but can still perform NHS surgeries is just appalling.”It makes it sound like the NHS patients don’t count at all.”Michelle Gyte, a solicitor with Raleys law firm in Barnsley who represented both Mrs Jolly and 11 other patients, said she was “shocked and angered”.Ms Gyte said: “These women’s lives have been irrevocably changed, and at the very least they expected the person responsible to be held to account.”We will continue to vigorously pursue our claims against the trust, but fear there is no sum of money which can make up for the emotional and psychological trauma already inflicted on these women, let alone the additional distress of learning this news.”

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