Hundreds of hospital's orthopaedic patients 'harmed'

Hundreds of orthopaedic patients - mostly children - suffered "harm" at an NHS hospital which is currently reviewing cases dealt with by a suspended surgeon.

Kuldeep Stohr was suspended by Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge last year, amid concerns about surgeries that were "below the expected standard".

In a now-removed report to the hospital trust's board, it stated of the 924 patients reviewed so far, 209 "experienced harm", the majority of whom were children when they had elective surgery. Forty-seven were classed as severe, with one being fatal.

Nicola Ayton, chief executive at Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH), said she was "deeply sorry" to patients and families affected.

Stohr was suspended by the hospital and has not been at work since March 2024, initially for personal reasons.

In her absence, her patients were seen by other doctors who discovered a "higher than expected level of complications", according to a letter to the parents from the hospital.

An initial review in 2025, found operations involving nine children were below expected standards, including Darcey, whose parents previously told the BBC they feared problems with her hip operation were "brushed under the rug".

A new report to the CUH board on Wednesday titled "orthopaedic review programme update" was removed by the trust after the BBC contacted it for comment.

It revealed 994 patients had "now had an initial clinical review", with "93% of cases now fully complete".

A total of 209 patients - 21% of those reviewed, were found to "have experienced harm".

Most of those, 139, received elective care when they were children.

The report also stated 31 patients have needed additional care "related to the incident", according to the report.

Sixty patients and family members have also accessed psychological support.

The papers also said the current "paediatric orthopaedic service remains fragile" - with clinical capacity reduced because of a combination of sickness absence, annual leave and the departure of a clinical fellow.

CUH is looking at waiting lists to see if the "orthopaedic review is having an impact on the broader patient cohort which uses the service".

Last year, a separate review found there were "a series of missed opportunities" - including when the CUH failed to act upon recommendations made by an external reviewer into her work back in 2016.

Stohr has previously said, through lawyers, she was co-operating with the investigation.

"I always strive to provide the highest standards of care to all my patients," she stated.

The external clinical review is being led by Andrew Kennedy KC and is made up of 10 senior consultants working at NHS trusts around the country.

It is due to be completed later in 2026.

Nicola Ayton, chief executive at CUH, said: "We are deeply sorry to the patients and families who came to harm or experienced care below the standards they should expect.

"This should never have happened and we are making changes so that something like this could not happen again.

"We have promised that once we receive the final report, which will include confirmed levels of patient harm, we will share it with patients and families first before publishing it in full."

She added she was "sorry to everyone affected that a confidential interim update from the external clinical review was shared by mistake in our public board papers" and said she would be writing to all patients.

Stohr's legal representatives declined to comment about the update when approached by the BBC.

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