Health and Me

Ishita Roy

Nearly 100 Children Harmed By A Great Ormond Street Limb Reconstruction Doctor, Found Study

Nearly 100 children were harmed by a <span>Great Ormond Street hospital</span> limb reconstruction surgeon, <span>Yaser Jabbar</span>. A London-based children's hospital's internal review published a study that concluded that 94 out of 789 children who were treated by the doctor between 2017 and 2022, came to harm. Of these, 91 were harmed during surgeries he performed. Jabbar specialized in limb-lengthening and complex bone reconstruction procedures for children, many of which are inherently high-risk.

While the hospital said some complications are expected in such procedures, the investigation found that Jabbar’s practice fell below acceptable standards in multiple areas and that this directly contributed to patient harm. <span>Great Ormond Street</span> Hospital said it was deeply sorry for the suffering caused to children and families.

The BBC has attempted to contact Jabbar. He is understood to be living abroad and no longer holds a license to practice medicine in the UK.

<h2>Great Ormond Street Hospital: What Did The Report Find?</h2>

 According to the report, more than a quarter of Jabbar’s surgical patients experienced harm. Thirty-five children suffered severe harm, while another child experienced severe harm unrelated to surgery.

Independent reviewers highlighted a series of troubling patterns. These included premature removal of bone fixation devices, operations carried out without a clear clinical rationale, incorrect placement of pins, and bone cuts made at the wrong anatomical level. The investigation also criticized how complications were identified and managed, suggesting delays and missed warning signs.

While the report stated it could not definitively determine whether every case of harm was avoidable, it concluded that the standard of care was suboptimal in many instances and that this had undoubtedly worsened outcomes for patients.

<h2>Nearly 100 Children Harmed: Families Speak Of Lifelong Trauma And Consequences</h2>

Although the report did not name individual cases, several families have previously shared their experiences publicly.

One of them is Bunty, a young girl born with a rare bone condition that left her left leg bowed and shorter than the other. She underwent multiple surgeries performed by Jabbar. Eventually, her lower left leg had to be amputated. Her case was classified as moderate harm.

Her father, Dean Stalham, told BBC, that the findings were “too little, too late” and questioned why concerns were not identified earlier. “These problems should have been spotted long before so many children were hurt,” he said.

According to another parent, Lizzie Roberts, as reported in the BBC, her son Tate was left in constant pain after surgery carried out by Jabbar when he was 16. Tate had been injured in a road accident years earlier, and the surgery was meant to address knee problems. Roberts said an operation was also performed on his ankle without consent and without clinical need.

“He is now facing further surgery and has had to drop out of college,” she said. Tate’s case was also classified as moderate harm.

Both families have called for a police investigation. The Metropolitan Police confirmed to the BBC that it would review the findings of the report to decide whether further action is required.

<h2>Questions Are Raised Over Hospital Culture</h2>

The investigation was launched in 2024, after concerns were raised internally. It followed a review by the Royal College of Surgeons, commissioned by the hospital, which flagged serious issues around working culture. Staff described the environment as toxic and raised concerns about inappropriate and incorrect surgeries being carried out on children.

Although independent clinicians reviewed patient records, Great Ormond Street Hospital collated and published the final findings. NHS England’s London region is now conducting a separate review into how the hospital handled the case.

The trust said it had already implemented recommendations from the Royal College of Surgeons, including better training on complaints handling, increased whistle-blowing support, and mandatory discussions of the most complex cases with the National Royal Orthopedic Hospital.

However, questions remain. Surgeon Sarah McMahon, who worked in the same service as Jabbar, reportedly raised concerns with hospital management in autumn 2021. According to a statement in Parliament by Dame Meg Hillier, no action was taken at the time.

Great Ormond Street Hospital chief executive Matthew Shaw described the publication of the report as the bleakest day in the hospital’s history. He apologized unreservedly to affected families and said the trust acted quickly once formal concerns were raised in June 2022.

Shaw also pointed to the challenges of monitoring highly specialized surgical fields with very few practitioners nationwide. Still, he said transparency was essential.

“By publishing these findings, we hope to begin rebuilding trust with families,” he said. “They rely on us at the most vulnerable moments of their children’s lives.”

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Nearly 100 children were harmed by a Great Ormond Street hospital limb reconstruction surgeon, Yaser Jabbar. A London-based children's hospital's internal review published a study that concluded that 94 out of 789 children who were treated by the doctor between 2017 and 2022, came to harm. Of these, 91 were harmed during surgeries he performed. Jabbar specialized in limb-lengthening and complex bone reconstruction procedures for children, many of which are inherently high-risk.While the hospital said some complications are expected in such procedures, the investigation found that Jabbar’s practice fell below acceptable standards in multiple areas and that this directly contributed to patient harm. Great Ormond Street Hospital said it was deeply sorry for the suffering caused to children and families.The BBC has attempted to contact Jabbar. He is understood to be living abroad and no longer holds a license to practice medicine in the UK.Great Ormond Street Hospital: What Did The Report Find? According to the report, more than a quarter of Jabbar’s surgical patients experienced harm. Thirty-five children suffered severe harm, while another child experienced severe harm unrelated to surgery.Independent reviewers highlighted a series of troubling patterns. These included premature removal of bone fixation devices, operations carried out without a clear clinical rationale, incorrect placement of pins, and bone cuts made at the wrong anatomical level. The investigation also criticized how complications were identified and managed, suggesting delays and missed warning signs.While the report stated it could not definitively determine whether every case of harm was avoidable, it concluded that the standard of care was suboptimal in many instances and that this had undoubtedly worsened outcomes for patients.Nearly 100 Children Harmed: Families Speak Of Lifelong Trauma And ConsequencesAlthough the report did not name individual cases, several families have previously shared their experiences publicly.One of them is Bunty, a young girl born with a rare bone condition that left her left leg bowed and shorter than the other. She underwent multiple surgeries performed by Jabbar. Eventually, her lower left leg had to be amputated. Her case was classified as moderate harm.Her father, Dean Stalham, told BBC, that the findings were “too little, too late” and questioned why concerns were not identified earlier. “These problems should have been spotted long before so many children were hurt,” he said.According to another parent, Lizzie Roberts, as reported in the BBC, her son Tate was left in constant pain after surgery carried out by Jabbar when he was 16. Tate had been injured in a road accident years earlier, and the surgery was meant to address knee problems. Roberts said an operation was also performed on his ankle without consent and without clinical need.“He is now facing further surgery and has had to drop out of college,” she said. Tate’s case was also classified as moderate harm.Both families have called for a police investigation. The Metropolitan Police confirmed to the BBC that it would review the findings of the report to decide whether further action is required.Questions Are Raised Over Hospital CultureThe investigation was launched in 2024, after concerns were raised internally. It followed a review by the Royal College of Surgeons, commissioned by the hospital, which flagged serious issues around working culture. Staff described the environment as toxic and raised concerns about inappropriate and incorrect surgeries being carried out on children.Although independent clinicians reviewed patient records, Great Ormond Street Hospital collated and published the final findings. NHS England’s London region is now conducting a separate review into how the hospital handled the case.The trust said it had already implemented recommendations from the Royal College of Surgeons, including better training on complaints handling, increased whistle-blowing support, and mandatory discussions of the most complex cases with the National Royal Orthopedic Hospital.However, questions remain. Surgeon Sarah McMahon, who worked in the same service as Jabbar, reportedly raised concerns with hospital management in autumn 2021. According to a statement in Parliament by Dame Meg Hillier, no action was taken at the time.'Bleakest Day' For HospitalGreat Ormond Street Hospital chief executive Matthew Shaw described the publication of the report as the bleakest day in the hospital’s history. He apologized unreservedly to affected families and said the trust acted quickly once formal concerns were raised in June 2022.Shaw also pointed to the challenges of monitoring highly specialized surgical fields with very few practitioners nationwide. Still, he said transparency was essential.“By publishing these findings, we hope to begin rebuilding trust with families,” he said. “They rely on us at the most vulnerable moments of their children’s lives.”