Daniel Hay: Major failings after former gynaecologist harmed women

A former NHS gynaecologist’s dangerous practices and shortcuts contributed to girls struggling extreme bodily hurt, a long-awaited report into his care has discovered.

Daniel Hay joined the College Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) NHS Basis Belief in 2005, and operated on a whole bunch of ladies earlier than retiring in 2020.

A report – which scrutinised Mr Hay’s care between 2015 and 2018 – was commissioned after considerations have been raised by colleagues, and located failings in his practices, how he was managed and added solely “success prevented additional hurt”.

After publication of the report on Wednesday, the NHS belief stated it was “really sorry” to the ladies who obtained care “under the requirements anticipated”.

The report was commissioned by the Gynaecology Evaluate Steering Group, which included representations from NHS England, UHDB, and the Derby and Derbyshire medical commissioning group.

As a part of the report, the panel contacted 325 girls who had been handled by Mr Hay between 2015 and 2018, asking them to share their experiences.

Along with the 325 sufferers, 58 women had already been reviewed in an earlier evaluation carried out in 2019.

In Wednesday’s report, the steering group panel recognized two girls as struggling “extreme bodily hurt”, with three sustaining “reasonable bodily hurt” beneath Mr Hay’s care.

Among the many points recognized have been girls who had a hysterectomy – a surgical process that removes the womb – with some sufferers made to really feel prefer it was their “solely choice” when much less invasive choices might have been out there.

This “adversely affected” the psychological well being of ladies who dreamed of beginning households however have been unable to take action, affecting their relationships and jobs.

The report additionally discovered Mr Hay “demonstrated poor medical observe”, “did not recognise potential dangers”, whereas the NHS belief that employed him “one way or the other allowed this to proceed till he ultimately retired as a result of ailing well being”.

His consent processes – during which sufferers ought to be capable of make knowledgeable selections over surgical procedure – have been poor, his record-keeping was insufficient, and his communication with sufferers was usually dismissive, the report added.

Considerations about Mr Hay have been raised by consultants, theatre workers and managers as early as 2017-18, however the panel stated it was “shocked” these workers members weren’t interviewed by the belief till 2022 – some 5 years later.

The report printed a number of testimonies from girls, who weren’t named. They described being rushed into having hysterectomies.

• One lady was being handled by Mr Hay for heavy menstrual bleeding, and was supplied a hysterectomy after a 10-minute session with no scan or options mentioned, the report stated. She stated the surgical procedure left her in ache, struggling nervousness and despair
• One other lady felt she was not given any choice aside from to have a hysterectomy – although there was no examination or scan investigation. She stated: “Was such a drastic main operation the one choice I had?”
• One lady discovered Mr Hay to be “erratic”. She instructed the panel: “I keep in mind Mr Hay asking, ‘what would you like?’ ‘I simply need the bleeding to cease’ was my reply. He instantly received his diary out and instructed me ‘you’ll be able to have a hysterectomy in April’
• One affected person requested why she needed to have an open hysterectomy, moderately than through a keyhole method, and was astounded when Mr Hay answered “I like slicing”, the report stated
• In the meantime, one other affected person added: “I’ll by no means set foot in an NHS hospital once more. If my leg have been hanging off, I might amputate it myself.”

Of the 325 girls whose care was scrutinised, the panel graded every case crimson – for main considerations – amber for some considerations, or inexperienced – during which none have been recognized.

In complete, 48 instances have been rated crimson, 68 amber and 209 inexperienced, although the assessment didn’t outline the precise nature of the considerations.

The panel discovered it was solely due to “the assist of fine colleagues” and success” that additional hurt was prevented from being triggered.

Mr Hay, who’s in his 60s and from Alfreton in Derbyshire, is at present being investigated by Derbyshire Police and was interviewed under caution earlier this year.

He spoke to officers in regards to the procedures he carried out at Royal Derby Hospital and Ripley Hospital.

A police spokesperson stated: “Because of the complicated nature of the case, inquiries have taken time, nonetheless, all through the investigation we’ve remained in shut contact with these affected and can proceed to take action because the investigation continues.”

Mr Hay has not formally commented on the matter for greater than 4 years.

His assertion in July 2021 stated: “I apologise to the ladies affected by the NHS investigation. I’m co-operating with the investigation, nonetheless, as a result of my ongoing psychological well being points, I ask that you just please respect my privateness at the moment.”

The Medical Defence Union, on Mr Hay’s behalf, didn’t want to remark when approached by the BBC.

Following the report, a sequence of suggestions have been made to the belief, together with introducing measures to “determine poorly performing clinicians”, that no guide ought to work in isolation, and that attending multidisciplinary crew conferences ought to be necessary for clinicians.

It additionally known as on the belief to spend money on extra gynaecological assist for girls beneath its care.

One other suggestion was for the belief to assessment Mr Hay’s care of ladies earlier than 2015, which has now been accepted with the intention of beginning within the autumn.

As soon as prepared, the belief will contact girls who fall throughout the scope of the “Section 2” assessment to ask them to participate.

A second report, which reviewed governance on the UHDB belief on the time, was printed alongside the key assessment into Mr Hay’s care.

It stated Mr Hay’s care from 2012 must also be reviewed.

Dr Gis Robinson, government chief medical officer on the NHS belief, stated: “We wish to reiterate our unreserved apologies to the ladies who obtained care from Mr Hay that was far under the requirements anticipated.

“Following the report we made necessary adjustments, with clearer consent procedures and enhanced medical oversight so any points with care will be recognized extra rapidly, and improved post-procedure opinions for girls.

“We are going to proceed to carefully monitor and assessment these to make sure they’re efficient and absolutely built-in, and use our studying to assist and inform the following stage of the assessment.”

By Rob Sissons, East Midlands well being correspondent

The report is stuffed with numbers however, in fact, behind the numbers are the true lives of ladies who say their relationships have been ruined via poor care.

I’ve spoken to 2 girls concerned within the assessment who, to some extent, blame themselves for going together with what Mr Hay stated. Each felt dismissed and never listened to, however in fact, they put their belief in a surgeon in one of the private and delicate areas of drugs, gynaecology.

In giant organisations – the NHS is the nation’s largest employer – issues will go unsuitable, however the query is at all times are the methods and processes in place strong sufficient to select up poor efficiency, and do administration do sufficient when issues are uncovered and colleagues converse out? Within the Hay case, it’s now obvious extra may and will have been completed.

Extra instances at the moment are going to be reviewed. The scrutiny of this NHS guide’s work and his employer’s dealing with of it goes on.