Surgeon's work under scrutiny
The Guardian;

Manchester (UK); Jan 24, 2001; Jeevan Vasagar;

Geographic Names: Coventry England
Personal Names: Ackroyd, Briony

Abstract:

Consultant Briony Ackroyd was among the first in Britain to offer breast
cancer victims a combined mastectomy and reconstruction operation.

Former patients have set up the Briony Ackroyd Support Group, which has
collected more than 4,000 signatures calling for the surgeon's
reinstatement, and more than 100 former patients have agreed to testify on
her behalf at any GMC hearing.

Debra Butler blames Miss Ackroyd for persuading her mother, Janet Nixon, to
have a breast reconstruction operation, during which she suffered a stroke
that left her partially paralyzed.

Full Text:

Copyright Guardian Newspapers, Limited

Jan 24, 2001

Hospital managers yesterday promised to review every operation carried out
by a pioneering surgeon suspended after complaints about her work.

Consultant Briony Ackroyd was among the first in Britain to offer breast
cancer victims a combined mastectomy and reconstruction operation.

The tissue used often came from the abdomen, offering the patient a "tummy
tuck".

She was suspended from Walsgrave hospital in Coventry last February,
following complaints about her
procedures.

Hospital managers confirmed yesterday that they had referred Miss Ackroyd,
52, to the General Medical Council, the medical profession's disciplinary
body.

Thirty cases of possible malpractice are being investigated by the GMC.

Walsgrave hospital's chief executive, David Loughton, said that all Miss
Ackroyd's cases over her six years at the hospital would be reviewed.

"We are working as quickly as we can to resolve this matter both for the
hospital and patients concerned and for Miss Ackroyd's sake.

"It is fair to say we are looking at all cases Miss Ackroyd has undertaken
while employed since 1995."

Critics say the consultant's complication rate was too high and that her
patients were not fully informed of
the risks.

Her supporters say they were comforted by her unconventional approach -
which included visiting patients at home - and claim that she is the victim
of a predominantly male medical establishment.

Former patients have set up the Briony Ackroyd Support Group, which has
collected more than 4,000 signatures calling for the surgeon's
reinstatement, and more than 100 former patients have agreed to testify on
her behalf at any GMC hearing.

Local GPs are also backing her and at least one has agreed to speak for her
at the GMC.

However, the daughter of a former patient is calling for her to be struck
off the medical register for life.

Debra Butler blames Miss Ackroyd for persuading her mother, Janet Nixon, to
have a breast reconstruction operation, during which she suffered a stroke
that left her partially paralysed.

The reconstruction also became infected and five further operations were
needed to repair the damage.

Mrs Nixon, 57, was paid pounds 51,000 in an out of court compensation
settlement before her death in June last year.

She received the compensation after obtaining an opinion from an independent
expert which was harshly critical of Miss Ackroyd's work.

In a statement to Mrs Nixon's solicitor, a consultant plastic surgeon,
Christopher Ward, said that she had
not been properly warned of the risks and would probably not have agreed to
the surgical procedure if she had been.

He said that although the breast removal was successful, in other areas of
her treatment the standard of care fell below what was expected of surgeons
taking on that particular operation.

A GMC spokesman said it had had "discussions with the hospital about this
doctor" after the hospital
contacted it.

Miss Ackroyd was referred to the GMC but no date for a hearing had yet been
set, the spokesman added.





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