On January 19th, the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children published a patient recall report revealing one of their pediatric surgeons to be guilty of child endangerment. The former orthopedic surgeon Yaser Jabbar specialized in limb lengthening and reconstruction services.
An independent review conducted by GOSHC between 2017 and 2022, exposed the extent of Mr. Jabbar’s malpractice. After reviewing all 789 of his patients, the panel concluded that nearly 100 children were harmed. One patient, James Wood, has spoken out about the pain he endured from care by Dr. Jabbar at Great Ormond Street Hospital. At 12 years old, Wood underwent surgery that went horribly wrong. At age 19, he continues to suffer from long-term mobility issues and trauma, leading him to delay further necessary treatment, with solicitors pursuing civil claims against GOSH.
Patients and their families received letters of apology from the chief executive of the hospital. Jabbar’s license was revoked after the incident and has not been renewed since. “He’s been able to just run away, which we, as the victims, can’t. And I think he should be held to justice for what he’s done,” said James Wood. Jabbar’s whereabouts are currently unknown, but he is believed to be working abroad in Dubai.
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children has taken action after what occurred and has implemented certain changes to prevent future misconduct. Actions taken within the Orthopaedic Service include extensive patient review prior and following surgery, bimonthly meetings with the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital for complex cases, as well as cultivating their “Speak Up” culture.
