Surgeon's oversight triggers medical negligence claims

Almost 2,000 cancer patients who were treated at the private Shepton Mallet Treatment Centre by Dutch surgeon Ben Mak have had their results called into question after a man he gave the all clear died.

Steve Davies was given the all clear at the private clinic by Dr Mak following a colonoscopy, in which a camera examines the large bowel to check for signs of cancer.

However, surgeons who operated on him months later discovered three tumors which Dr Mak should have spotted. 8 months after being given the all clear Steve Davies died as a result of bowel cancer.

His wife, Tracey Davies is now suing the clinic for medical negligence, along with around a dozen other people who were misdiagnosed.

Mrs Davies said that her husband actually had two bowel examinations at the Mallet Treatment Centre, both of which came back with the happy news that Mr Davies was clear of cancer. Unfortunately this turned out to be entirely incorrect.

'He carried out two of them within one week and they both came back normal,' she said.

'The surgeon who operated on Steve before his death found three tumours from 2003 to 2004 that should have been detected last year.

'They couldn't have done anything more for Steve but they could have given him some pain relief in his last months.'

In light of the revelations, Dr Mak was initially suspended before resigning after another patient whom he had given the all clear was later diagnosed with bowel cancer.

A spokesperson for Shepton Mallet Treatment Centre, which sells services to the NHS and sees 12,000 patients a year, said it was unable to comment on individual cases.

But the spokesperson did add that all of their results are being reviewed and admitted a proportion of the colonoscopies were not efficiently conducted, resulting in misdiagnosis.

Between Autumn 2005 and March 2008, almost 2,000 people visited the Shepton Mallet Treatment Centre and underwent a colonscopy to check for signs of bowel cancer.

Of those patients, 100 were advised to have a follow up investigation, 755 were told to speak to their GP and 480 were told that they may require a follow up investigation in the next five years.

Those 480 will now need to seek a second opinion and a furhter examination if they have not done so already.

'We are very sorry that we have had to recall some patients for a follow-up investigation,' it said.

'We understand the concern and distress that this has caused and we are doing all we can to support patients.

'The General Medical Council has been informed about this surgeon's work and a full independent investigation is being carried out.'

The Government established private treatment centres paid by the NHS to cut waiting lists.

But the centres have proved controversial with doubts raised about their value for money and quality of care.

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