A surgeon used a Swiss army knife to open up the chest of a patient in cardiac arrest at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton in December 2023, as he claimed he couldn’t find a sterile scalpel. This unconventional method was employed to save the patient’s life, who thankfully survived. However, internal documents obtained by the BBC reveal that colleagues found the surgeon’s actions questionable, expressing surprise that he couldn’t locate a proper scalpel.
The NHS trust overseeing the hospital, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, acknowledged that the surgeon’s actions deviated from standard procedures. The trust’s chief medical officer, Professor Catherine Urch, explained that the patient required immediate life-saving care after going into cardiac arrest before the planned emergency operation. The incident prompted a thorough review by the surgical team, leading to changes in protocols and sharing of lessons learned at patient safety meetings.
Meanwhile, Sussex Police are investigating allegations of medical negligence spanning from 2015 to 2021 at the trust, specifically in neurosurgery and general surgery at the Brighton hospital. A dedicated team of officers is supporting patients and families affected by the investigation. Nisha Sharma, a principal lawyer at Slater and Gordon representing these cases, condemned the surgeon’s use of a penknife as appalling, highlighting ongoing concerns about standards of care at the Royal Sussex.
The community in Brighton, which relies on the hospital for healthcare, is deeply troubled by the emerging details about practices at the facility. The investigation is ongoing, with close cooperation between law enforcement, partner agencies, and the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. Patients and families affected by the allegations are being provided with the necessary support as the investigation progresses.