Yaser Jabbar

Yaser Jabbar is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon. After graduating from St. George's medical school at the University of London in 2004, his surgical training and surgical practice has been predominately based in the United Kingdom. As of January 2024, Jabbar no longer has a license to practice in the UK, and has been subject to allegations of surgical malpractice with multiple past and ongoing investigations into his surgical practice and professional conduct. As of September 2024, Jabbar is believed to be working in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. ^[1]

Education and professional experience

Jabbar gained his primary medical qualification from St. George's University of London in 2004. He received provisional registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) in July 2004, extended to full registration in August 2005, allowing him to practice medicine in the United Kingdom. ^[2]

Jabber trained in orthopaedic surgery at hospitals in Oxford and London, with further training at the University of Cardiff where he completed an MSc in Orthopaedic Engineering, before working for a year at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne and The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney. ^[3] On returning to the UK, Jabbar worked at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and in December 2014, Jabbar received registration on the GMC's Specialist Registrar, as a consultant in trauma and orthopaedic surgery. ^{[2] [3]}

From 2017 until late 2023, Jabber worked as a consultant paediatric orthopaedic surgeon at the Great Ormond Street Hospital, whilst also working privately at the Portland Hospital in London. ^{[2] [3] [1]}

Investigations into surgical malpractice

Whilst working with children at the Great Ormond Street Hospital, the hospital placed Jabbar on 11 months of paid sabbatical leave after staff and parents had raised concerns about his conduct and care. These concerns prompted the hospital to ask Royal College of Surgeons to conduct a review into Jabbar's surgical practice at the hospital. ^[3] Jabbar resigned from his post at the hospital in September 2023, one month before the Royal College of Surgeons produced a confidential report at a result of their investigations. ^{[3] [1]} As of January 2024, Jabbar no longer has a license to practice in the UK, with interim tribunal conditions in place and fitness to practice proceedings against him currently ongoing. ^[2]

In February 2024 it was reported that limb lengthening devices were used by Jabbar. The use of such devices between 2017 and 2022 would raise concerns about patient safety, medical ethics, and the standards of care provided by the surgeon. The revelation came about after parents raised concerns. ^{[4] [5]}

In September 2024, The Times newspaper, having seen a copy of the Royal College of Surgeons' report published details of the investigation's findings. ^[3] The investigation found Jabbar had exhibited “unacceptable and unprofessional behaviour”. His record-keeping was poor and assessments of children before surgery were unacceptable and he carried out operations for which he had not sought proper consent. It also concluded that children were also subjected to surgery that had no clear benefits or justification. Accusation were made that Jabbar would alter clinical records after surgery and dismissed concerns raised about the post-surgical recovery of children. According to the report, “the review team heard of serious complications … with staff reportedly seeing more amputations in recent times than they ever had within the service” and that some staff working with Jabbar “would not wish for their friends and family to be operated on” by him. The report also concluded that Jabbar "hid his complications and he didn’t learn from them. So they kept happening.” In a review of one child's care, the report concluded surgery by Jabbar was “incorrect and unsuitable”. It said Jabbar “demonstrated a lack of understanding of the principles of deformity correction surgery, in addition to a lack of insight”. ^[3]

It was announced^{[ by whom? ]} in September 2024 that Great Ormond Street Hospital was launching an urgent review into the 721 children who had been treated by him. Patients treated by Mr Jabbar – who has not worked at the Trust since October 2022 – are now to have their medical records independently reviewed to check that the treatment provided was appropriate. As of September 2024, only 39 out of 721 cases had been fully reviewed, but of these 39 cases, 22 children had been harmed, 13 were classified as having suffered "severe harm" as a result of Jabbar's surgical practice, with potentially lifelong injuries as a result. One child harmed was only four months of age during surgery. At least one child had to have a leg amputation following Jabbar's surgery, with another child at risk of amputation if the work of other surgeons cannot save the limb. In other cases, children have been left with a disparity in leg length by as much as 20 cm, with children living with chronic pain even years after surgery and other having to be repeatedly operated on due to muscle damage, nerve injuries and permanent deformities after surgery. ^{[1] [3]}

Criticism of Great Ormond Street Hospital

Beyond Jabbar's behaviour and care, the Royal College of Surgeons report was highly critical of the working environment at the hospital, with staff and patients feeling their concerns weren't listened to, and the report accusing the hospital of being run like a "political organisation". ^{[3] [1]} The father of one child said "we tried to raise our concerns repeatedly through the official complaints procedure, and I copied the clinical director into many emails, but heard nothing back." He described the initial investigation as feeling like everything was being "brushed under the carpet," which he found "very upsetting." ^[3]

References

1. "Great Ormond Street reviews 700 children treated by ex-surgeon". BBC News . 8 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
2. "General Medical Council: Yaser JABBAR/ GMC reference no: 6104046". General Medical Council (GMC). Retrieved 9 September 2024.
3. "721 children in rogue surgeon investigation at Great Ormond Street". The Times. 7 September 2024.
4. Sawer, Patrick (28 February 2024). "Great Ormond Street orthopaedic wing 'reviewed' after concerns over surgeon". The Telegraph.
5. Hayward, Eleanor (28 February 2024). "Children's surgeon investigated over Soviet-era limb-lengthening device". The Times.