A surgeon accused of serially botching operations
A surgeon accused of serially botching operations on 12 women told how he felt it was ‘so unfair’ his name had been blackened by the allegations.
Steven Walker, 44, said he wished he had never bought a house with his wife in Blackpool in April 1998 – at the same time as serious concerns were being raised about his performance.
Five of Walker’s patients died after their surgery and five were left scarred for life by complications after attempts to insert breast implants.
The GMC has already heard how Anaesthetist Helen Matheson withdrew her services completely from Walker because of the massive amounts of blood lost during operations.
But Mr Walker denied Helen Matheson told him the reason for no longer working with him.
He said: ‘She didn’t actually say that to me.
Other anaesthetist colleagues started doing my Monday theatre list and as far as I was aware she was going off to retirement.
‘She didn’t though, she went on another year longer.
The story I heard at the time was she had some problem with her pension.
‘They found a replacement for her but she decided to stay on.
‘
On April 30 Walker was told not to perform any more keyhole colonoscopy examinations following a complaint about his skills.
At the same meeting he was tackled with a nurse’s concerns about his lack of proper discussion with patients.
Walker said the first time he heard there were concerns about his colonoscopy and endoscopy ability was on December 18, 1998 – the date he was told to take paid leave by hospital bosses.
He added: ‘It was not said at the meeting [in April 1997].
It seems to me that the allegations from the nursing staff seems to be one nurse on one occasion.
‘My name has been blackened by one little incident.
It has just been so unfair.
‘I wish my wife and I had never bought a house on that day in Blackpool.
I was sad, yes.
There was no mention about my endoscopy at that meeting.
‘
Walker faces charges covering 12 operations, two for liver surgery, five for bowel surgery and five breast reconstructions.
Walker, who is registered at an address in Leeds and formerly lived at Maritime Way, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston, denies serious professional misconduct.
The hearing continues.
ends
