Seven patients have died and one was left significantly harmed following operations performed by heart surgeon Karen Booth at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.
An NHS investigation found she carried out complex procedures beyond her experience, made surgical errors, and failed to seek help when needed. Concerns were raised by colleagues as early as 2018, but no formal review began until 2021.
Despite these findings, Ms Booth remains employed at the hospital in a non-surgical role and is expected to return to operating. Families say this has “shattered trust” and are calling for a full external review of her cases.
What did the investigation find?
The Trust’s 2021 review examined 22 of Ms Booth’s cases and identified failings that contributed to poor outcomes. These included her attempting highly complex procedures despite lacking sufficient experience, and often missing opportunities to perform safer alternatives. She was found to have a poor insight into her own skill level and a reluctance to call for support.
Concerningly, colleagues had repeatedly raised the alarm over her results from as early as 2018, citing “worries from every single surgeon” that she was taking on cases beyond her ability. Emails from that time showed her patients accounted for nearly half of the unit’s surgical deaths over an eight-month period.
Despite this, no immediate action was taken. Families now believe that lives could have been saved had concerns been addressed sooner.
A wider cultural issue
The failures in oversight extended beyond Ms Booth’s practice. Reports commissioned by the Trust pointed to a poor working culture within the cardiac unit, including bullying behaviours, weak governance structures, and a reluctance from senior staff to take responsibility for patient safety concerns. Internal reviews found that there was no proper system in place for introducing or monitoring new surgical procedures. This allowed Ms Booth to perform operations that had not been fully discussed or approved by her colleagues. Despite the deep concerns of families and colleagues, the Trust has confirmed that Ms Booth is undergoing a phased return to surgery, following retraining. A collective email from a group of cardiac surgeons expressed strong opposition, saying the decision had undermined trust within the department.
How we can help
At Enable Law, we have represented many families whose loved ones have been harmed due to failures in surgical and medical care. We understand how devastating it is to discover that an operation, which should have provided hope, has instead led to avoidable tragedy.
If you have concerns about treatment you or a loved one received at Freeman Hospital, or any other NHS Trust, our specialist medical negligence solicitors can provide free, confidential advice to help you understand your options.
You can contact us on 0800 044 8488 or complete our contact form and one of our team will call you back at a time convenient for you. We are committed to listening with compassion, supporting families through the process, and helping them seek answers and justice.
