A doctor struck off over a series of botched opera

A doctor struck off over a series of botched operations which left four women dead and another six maimed was not ’empire building’, the GMC heard today (TUES).

Steven Walker, 46, carried out the complex liver, bowel and breast implant surgery at Blackpool Victoria Hospital with little or no specialist experience.

He was found guilty of serious professional misconduct 18 months ago but the Privy Council have ordered his case be reheard.

The committee will have to decide whether Walker should be struck off or face lesser punishment such as suspension or conditional registration.

Today Walker’s defence barrister, Stephen Miller, said Walker had honestly believed he could carry out these types of surgery.

‘Rightly or wrongly he thought it was a service he was capable of providing.

‘His principal interest was in all aspects of cancer surgery and believed it could be something achieved in a district general hospital.

‘You have to treat him as a young consultant who spent a year in a specialist liver unit and in these circumstances he believed it was something he could legitimately do.

‘There can be no doubt that the Blackpool Victoria Hospital knew and supported Mr Walker’s interest in liver surgery.

‘

Patient Dorothy McPhee, 70, died after losing 17 litres of blood in two hours during a botched liver operation on December 18, 1995.

Margaret Wilson died aged 62 after losing 20 litres units of blood during a bowel tumour removal operation on 5 January 1998 and 86 year-old Mabel Saville died after similar surgery in March 1999.

Mr Miller said Walker accepted the GMC’s decision it was wrong to attempt breast reconstructions on the basis of two previous cases.

‘Rightly or wrongly he had certainly on an infrequent basis carried out limited breast reconstructions.

‘It is the question of the culture at the time.

There is no justification for what Mr Walker did but you have to consider the background that led Mr Walker to believe it was something he could offer.

‘It was not empire building, it was not self-aggrandisement.

‘

Five women suffered horrific experiences with breast implants under the knife of Walker.

Two patients, known as BS and JN, said they felt like ‘a freak’ after finding the implants had been put in too high and over-expanded so they felt like rocks.

Mr Miller also said there was an element of ‘unfairness’ to the new hearing.

He said: ‘No findings of fault were found in two heads of charge and a number of allegations were not proved.

‘You are being asked to consider, look retrospectively at ten cases which were handled over a period of three years without knowing about the rest of Mr Walker’s practice.

‘As a general surgeon there were many other cases which he was conducting at the same time about which no complain was made.

‘Several were mostly elderly patients with severe forms of cancer and we do not know whether others would have fared just as badly.

‘Mr Walker wants to put what occurred in context.

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Mr Miller said an audit of all five general surgeons at Blackpool Victoria had shown no difference in performance between Walker and his colleagues.

Walker began work at the Blackpool Victoria Hospital as a consultant general surgeon in April 1995 after a year as senior registrar at Liverpool’s Broadgreen Hospital and training at units across the North West.

Walker also ruptured the colon of 65 year-old patient JR when he attempted keyhole examination of a polyp.

The lady later died after a complex colon repair operation on November 12, 1995, which should never have been attempted.

Walker, who is still registered at a solicitor’s address in Leeds city centre but previously lived in Maritime Way, Ashton-on-Ribble, is present at the hearing.

It is expected to conclude on Friday.

ends

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