'130 women' make claims against gynaecologist Rob Jones

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-22934012

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Complaints against a former Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust surgeon have risen to 130, lawyers have confirmed.

Gynaecologist Rob Jones, who delivered Prime Minister David Cameron's youngest child Florence by caesarean section in 2010, was suspended in May 2012 after a report highlighted serious concerns.

A trust review was undertaken, which last month raised concerns about the treatment of 110 women.

It has apologised unreservedly and said changes had been made.

Mr Jones has offered his sympathy to patients.

Mike Bird, of law firm Foot Anstey, said the company was representing 98 women and another firm in Cornwall was representing about 20.

Mr Bird said he believed other smaller companies could be representing several more women.

"Almost all of the 98 claims are against the trust in relation to Mr Jones, with a few in relation to private treatment by Mr Jones," he said.

'Give women answers'

Mr Bird said he was working with the NHS Litigation Authority to agree a protocol for claims.

"The idea of the protocol is to resolve the claims more quickly, get things moving and give women either answers and/or compensation," he said.

In May, the Royal Cornwall Hospital's Trust said it reviewed case notes of 2,396 women seen by Mr Jones between April and October 2012.

Of those, issues were raised about the treatment of 110 patients.

Mr Jones joined the Royal Cornwall Hospital in 1992.

He was suspended after a report from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists found his patients had more than five times the number of surgical complications during hysterectomy operations than would "usually be expected" in a consultant's career.

He was also the subject of eight medical reviews and repeated complaints.

Mr Jones voluntarily removed himself from the medical register in October.

'Concern and sympathy'

He said: "I have fully co-operated with the various reviews into my practice by the trust and I am pleased that these have now been completed.

"I cannot comment on any individual case because of my duty of patient confidentiality, but I would like to reiterate my concern and sympathy for any patient who has suffered a surgical complication or any harm while under my care."

Lezli Boswell, chief executive of Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, said: "I want to repeat my thanks to the patients and staff who spoke out about their concerns and apologise unreservedly to all those affected.

"We have already implemented many of the recommendations from the independent reports published in February 2013 and we will continue to work with the women affected and the wider community to improve the services we provide."