Thompsons Solicitors, the UK's most experienced law firm specialising in personal injury, is currently representing several former patients of the spinal surgeon John Hutchinson offering its expertise to help people seeking answers to whether they have been affected and compensation for potential medical negligence.
Who is John Hutchinson?
John Hutchinson is a spinal orthopaedic surgeon who previously practised at North Bristol NHS Trust, including Bristol Royal Children’s Hospital and Spire Bristol. He ceased working at North Bristol Hospital in the summer of 2021, and the General Medical Council (GMC) has since restricted his practice. Spire Healthcare took precautions by issuing a patient notification in December 2019 and later revoked his practising privileges.
What allegations has John Hutchinson faced?
Concerns have arisen from some of Mr Hutchinson’s former patients who underwent scoliosis correction, fusion surgery, and complex spinal surgery.
They assert that some operations were performed at incorrect levels or were more extensive than required, leading to additional pain, suffering, and extended recovery periods.
As the UK's foremost personal injury law firm, Thompsons Solicitors currently represents several of Mr Hutchinson's former patients who have raised concerns about their treatment. These patients have received letters from Spire Hospital or the North Bristol Hospital Trust indicating a review of their care. We encourage anyone who has received such a notification to contact us.
How are the NHS, Spire and the GMC responding to patient concerns?
The NHS is proactively reaching out to former patients who underwent surgeries performed by Mr Hutchinson. However, Spire has not publicly initiated investigations into the surgeries conducted at Spire Bristol.
In December 2019, Spire Healthcare initiated a precautionary patient notification exercise alerting patients of Mr Hutchinson about concerns surrounding his practice. Spire's notification exercise remains ongoing. Mr Hutchinson is no longer associated with North Bristol NHS Trust, and Spire Healthcare has withdrawn his practising privileges.
The General Medical Council (GMC) imposed interim conditions on Mr Hutchinson's right to practice on 19 April 2022, mandating close supervision in all his roles. The GMC is also bringing a formal misconduct case against him, with a hearing scheduled before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal later this year.
This hearing aims to ascertain Mr Hutchinson's fitness to practice and investigate allegations of inadequate clinical care provided to nine patients between 2014 and 2018. Further scrutiny surrounds claims of incorrect coding on 17 occasions between 2015 and 2018, leading to over payment.
Steps to take if John Hutchinson has treated you
Thompsons Solicitors represents patients of Mr Hutchinson who believe they have suffered from negligent treatment. If you've been contacted by the NHS or potentially by Spire, we advise that you respond and undergo any recommended re-examinations.
If Mr Hutchinson has treated you and are experiencing pain or unexpected recovery outcomes, it's crucial to contact your GP, refer them to the GMC restrictions and the NHS action, and request a re-examination.
Our experienced specialist teams at Thompsons Solicitors can provide free, no-obligation legal advice about potential orthopaedic negligence claims if you believe Mr Hutchinson’s treatment resulted in unnecessary pain and suffering. Contact us through our short enquiry form or call our dedicated hotline for Mr Hutchinson’s former patients at 0330 173 9917.
Thompsons Solicitors has successfully supported over 500 victims of medical negligence in their claims against disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson, who also worked at Spire Healthcare. We're assisting more than 120 former patients of Tony Dixon, another surgeon accused of performing unnecessary surgeries at Spire Bristol.
Why choose Thompsons Solicitors?
At Thompsons, we use our extensive experience in personal injury claims to provide expert, empathetic, and sensitive legal advice. Our track record speaks for our success in handling spinal surgery claims and securing compensation in medical negligence cases.
You can pursue your medical negligence claim at Thompsons Solicitors on a no-win, no-fee basis. This means you will not be charged if your case is unsuccessful and only contribute towards any legal fees if your compensation claim is successful. Furthermore, we cap our fees, so you retain at least 75% of your compensation.
If you think you are affected, don't hesitate to contact our specialist medical negligence lawyers today by completing our short enquiry form or by calling us on 0330 173 9917.