Inquest to open over deaths of patients treated by breast surgeon Ian Paterson

When Stuart Coyne received a letter to say his wife’s death, now 16 years ago, was being investigated to see if she had died unnecessarily after being operated on by the disgraced surgeon Ian Paterson, he was taken aback.

“It was a shock; it came out of the blue. When Catherine died, we all thought that she’d had the best treatment for the breast cancer that she had,” said Coyne, 70, who lives in Solihull. “Now, of course, it raises that question – would she still be here today?”

On Monday, an inquest into the deaths of 62 of Paterson’s former patients, thought to be one of the largest inquests ever held in the UK, will commence at Birmingham and Solihull coroner’s court.

A team of doctors reviewed hundreds of cases to identify patients they believed might have “died an unnatural death as a result of Ian Paterson’s actions”.

Paterson, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being found guilty of 17 counts of wounding with intent, is due to give evidence. The first day of the inquest hearing will consider his application for legal aid, which is being opposed by lawyers representing the victims.

Ian Paterson. Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA

It was also revealed by the Sunday Times that the health secretary would strip Paterson of his taxpayer-funded NHS pension, an intervention only used in cases where a staff member has been convicted of a crime.

A report published in 2020 found that Paterson subjected more than 1,000 NHS and private healthcare patients in the West Midlands to unnecessary and damaging operations over 14 years before he was stopped.

This included convincing patients to undergo surgery by exaggerating the risk of breast cancer, and performing unrecognised cleavage-sparing operations that left patients at risk of their cancer returning.

Debbie Douglas, who was given an unnecessary mastectomy by Paterson, said: “What we hope from this is that those that have died get their voices heard, and that the families and victims that Paterson harmed get answers.”

Douglas has been a longtime campaigner for Paterson’s victims and patient safety, and most recently launched a campaign against the decision to move Paterson to an open prison, where he could be released in 2027.

“It’s just an absolute disgrace,” she said. “But ultimately, we just don’t want this to happen to anyone else, and we want patient safety at the forefront.”

Through her work with the support group Breast Friends, she knew Catherine Coyne, who died aged 51 from secondary liver cancer in 2008. Paterson had carried out a double mastectomy on her six years earlier when she was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer.

Medical records have now allegedly shown there were concerns that Paterson left too much breast tissue behind, and that he went against the standard practice at the time, which was to only operate after chemotherapy treatment.

This information has only been revealed to Catherine’s family since 2022, when her death was listed for inquest, and medical experts and lawyers began poring over hospital notes.

The family had already begun to have suspicions when the investigation into Paterson, and his subsequent conviction in 2017 for carrying out unnecessary and damaging operations, were reported widely in the media.

“We initially didn’t realise that leaving breast tissue behind could have led to recurrence [of cancer], or even a situation of secondary cancer,” said Stuart Coyne. “It was only when that was explained in the press and on TV that it started to run through our minds: ‘Well, could it be the case that, because she didn’t have all the breast tissue removed, that led to the secondary cancer?”

Catherine, a data protection officer for Birmingham city council, was described by her husband as a “very likable, bubbly character”.

“She was the sort of person who, if you sat next to her on the bus, five minutes later she’d be talking to you and exchanging details,” he said. “She was a very open, lively person, but she was also very determined and single-minded, and obviously that helped her to get through all the treatments she had.”

He fondly recalled a time when, while working as a classroom helper at her son’s school, she “got a bee in her bonnet” about the lack of equipment for left-handed children and successfully pushed for more to be provided.

Her death came suddenly after her liver cancer diagnosis, and was a shock to the family including her two children, who were 13 and 17 at the time.

“It was a difficult time for us all,” said Coyne. “And over the years, our concerns about what happened to her have just grown greater. What will come out of the inquest, I’m sure, is a lot of information that people will be highly concerned about.

“As the families and loved ones, we’re looking for answers.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “These were appalling crimes and we are assisting his majesty’s coroner with the inquests concerning the tragic deaths of patients previously treated by Ian Paterson.

“We understand families’ frustration and recognise that significant improvements to patient safety are required. This government is working urgently to ensure all lessons from this terrible case are being learned.”