Lawyers contact health secretary over Addenbrooke’s botched ops

Lawyers representing more than 50 people treated by a surgeon who is being investigated over allegations of botched operations have written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting calling for a public inquiry.

The patients were children when they were operated on by Kuldeep Stohr and their cases are among 800 cases being reviewed by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) over concerns they had fallen “below expected standards”.

They include 16-year-old Amy, who suffered “serious physical injuries”. She said: “I feel like my youth was taken from me, but not just my youth, my life.”

The Department of Health and Social Care (DoH) said a national review will look at how complex orthopedic surgery is managed.

Patients are demanding to know how the surgeon managed to practice unhindered despite nearly a decade-old warnings.

Amy, from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, was one of the first to receive the results of an independent review of her treatment.

Conducted by a panel of external doctors chaired by Andrew Kennedy CC, it said the care was “not up to the standard they expected”.

It raised concerns that Amy's knee surgery had been done when she was nine years old and her legs were still growing.

She was born with Russell-Silver syndrome, a rare growth disorder, and her left leg was 3 cm (1.2 in) longer than her right.

In 2018, Ms. Stohr said surgery was necessary.

However, experts determined that the metal plates inserted into her longer leg to stop its growth were too large, causing pain and needed to be replaced.

“I wouldn’t wish this kind of pain on anyone. It was quite traumatic,” Amy said.

“Month after month I was in the process of healing, and my friends would say, 'Do you want to go out?' and I would say, “I can’t, it hurts.”

“I missed out on so many great opportunities because my physical health deteriorated.”

Amy's right leg was then allowed to grow too much and ended up being 3cm longer than her left.

“I remember crying and passing out in the back seat of the car because I believed so much that it was all over,” Amy said.

The family was told that Amy needed additional surgery to lengthen her legs or she would have spinal problems.

She was first operated on by Ms Stohr two and a half years after a colleague first raised concerns about her practice in 2015.

“The fact is that Addenbrooke's had the opportunity to resolve the problems of colleagues, but nothing came of it and the children, including Amy, may not have been harmed,” said Amy's mother, Sharon.

“Eight years and four treatments later, Amy can walk, but she is in pain and the difference in leg length puts extra pressure on her hip.

“Unfortunately, she suffered physically and psychologically. She was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Amy said: “My main question is 'Why me?'

“I feel like my youth was taken away from me, but not only my youth, my life. Many times I have had to stop what I was doing or go home because I was in pain.”

Roland Sinker, chief executive of CUH, said he was “deeply sorry for the harm” caused to Amy and the impact “on her and her family”.

He added: “I am sad that this happened while Amy was in our care. This should not have happened and we are working to implement improvements to ensure this does not happen again.”

An independent report into missed opportunities to identify harm caused to Ms Stohr's patients was published last month by research firm Verita and found that an external review carried out in 2016 had failed to take action.

The previous review's author, Robert Hill, senior pediatric orthopedic surgeon, said trust was demonstrated “little, if any, understanding of the problems they face”.

Ms. Stohr operated on hundreds more patients before she was suspended from work in February 2025.

Mr Sinker said: “Last month we published an action plan following an independent investigation into missed opportunities to help us identify and resolve issues more quickly.

“In this plan, we detail how we are improving clinical governance, better managing and supporting clinicians, and encouraging a more open culture in which problems arise and escalate earlier.”

Maria Repanos of Hudgell Solicitors, representing Amy and her mother, said: “The findings of Amy's case are deeply concerning and highlight extremely serious failings.

“A wide-ranging public health issue of this gravity requires full public scrutiny through a statutory investigation.”

A Department of Health spokesman said: “We sympathize with Amy and all the families affected by this deeply worrying situation.”

They said the Verita report has already made “several recommendations”, adding: “We expect the fund to implement all recommendations and provide strong support to families. This will be monitored by independent bodies to ensure lessons are learned and this never happens again.”

The Department of Health said a further independent clinical review is due to be published next year and that NHS England is reviewing the management of complex and low-volume orthopedic and spinal surgery services.

Ms Stohr, through her lawyers, did not respond to questions from the BBC about Amy's case, but previously said: “I always strive to provide the highest standards of care for all my patients.

“I am co-operating fully with the investigation into the trusts and it is inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

CUH said patients and families with concerns about their care can call its free helpline on 0808 175 6331.