The head of NHS England, Sir Jim Mackey, backed a heart surgeon whose failures were linked to several deaths, saying she should be supported to continue her career after retraining. Karen Booth, a consultant surgeon at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, was found by an internal investigation to have carried out procedures she lacked the skill and experience for, made clinical errors, and failed to call for help when needed. Seven patients died following her operations, while one survivor experienced avoidable harm. Despite strong objections from some of her colleagues, the hospital has considered allowing her to return to cardiac surgery.
The BBC obtained a recording of a meeting between Sir Jim and the family of Ian Philip, who died in 2021 after being operated on by Booth. The hospital later admitted that surgeons had failed to carry out a simple bypass procedure that could have saved his life. In the recording, Sir Jim told the family Booth could resume surgery because she had not been sanctioned by the General Medical Council or through internal processes. He said she would have to go through a managed period of retraining before returning to independent practice, although he acknowledged that opposition from colleagues raised safety concerns.
Booth has expressed condolences to the families affected and is cooperating with the GMC, which has yet to conclude its investigation. The regulator has faced long-standing criticism for slow action against doctors, with figures showing only a small proportion of tribunal cases relate to performance. Families of patients have voiced anger at the prospect of Booth returning to surgery, saying they feel let down by leadership. While the hospital has apologised for the deaths and admitted cultural and governance failings, it continues to weigh whether her phased return should proceed. Patient groups argue the case highlights serious questions about accountability and patient safety in the NHS.
