Ian Paterson: what happened to disgraced breast surgeon, where did he work, and when is ITV documentary on TV?

Bodies of Evidence: The Butcher Surgeon will look at the shocking story of Ian Paterson and his victims
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Ian Paterson is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after carrying out unnecessary and life-threatening operations over a 14-year period.

But who is Ian Paterson, where did he work and when is the documentary on TV?

Ian Paterson is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence (Photo: PA)Ian Paterson is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence (Photo: PA)
Ian Paterson is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence (Photo: PA)

Here’s what you need to know.

Who is Ian Paterson?

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Ian Paterson was a Birmingham-based breast surgeon consultant.

However, Paterson was found to have been diagnosing cancer when there wasn’t any and cutting his patients open for no reason, performing surgery that was not needed and damaging.

He was jailed in 2017 for wounding with intent and ­unlawfully wounding nine women and one man he treated between 1997 and 2011. He is now serving a 20 year sentence.

Paterson convinced cancer patients to undergo operations in NHS and private hospitals by inventing or exaggerating the risks of tumours in order to earn extra money and maintain a successful reputation.

Where did he work?

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Paterson worked in both NHS and private practice at Heartlands Hospital, Solihull Hospital, Good Hope Hospital, Spire Hospital Parkway and Spire Hospital Little Aston.

He was not suspended from carrying out his NHS or private work until 2011, but whistleblowers said they reported concerns about Paterson years before this.

What will the ITV documentary look at?

The documentary, for ITV’s Exposure strand, will involve Paterson’s victims explaining their experiences with the consultant and the impact his surgery left on them.

ITV said: “For the first time a key whistleblower speaks exclusively to ITV Exposure, Mr Hemant Ingle, detailing the steps he took to expose Mr Paterson and these extraordinary crimes.”

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Mr Hemant Ingle worked as an NHS junior consultant at Solihull Hospital in 2007 and later alongside Ian Paterson in the private sector at Spire.

Ingle was crucial in the reporting and investigation of Paterson.

With the investigation into Paterson still on-going, “fresh evidence has emerged that some of Paterson’s patients may have died an unnatural death as a result of his actions,” ITV said.

“The Birmingham and Solihull Coroner have opened seven inquests and say they are in the middle of a ‘huge investigation involving hundreds of patients’”.

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A total of 675 out of 1,207 women who underwent the unregulated treatment from Paterson had died by 2017.

More than 750 victims have already successfully claimed after receiving life-threatening and unapproved surgery from Paterson. He treated more than 11,000 patients in total.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which now runs Solihull Hospital, said: “The Trust wholly condemns Paterson’s actions between 1993 and 2011 and the actions, inaction, culture, and poor governance surrounding decisions made by Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, who we merged with in 2018, during that time.

“Too many patients received horrendous treatment at the hands of Paterson, and we continue to do our utmost to support them.”

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Spire Healthcare said: "We apologise for the significant distress and harm suffered by patients who were treated by Ian Paterson in our hospitals.

“Spire has changed radically since 2011. Our culture, management and standards have been overhauled, with safety and quality sitting at the heart of everything we do.

“Systems are in place to recruit, oversee and audit consultants and identify any whose practice could give rise to concern and we are able to take action quickly."

When is the documentary on TV?

Bodies of Evidence: The Butcher Surgeon will air at 10.20pm on ITV on Sunday 12 June.

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