Hundreds of former patients of disgraced breast cancer surgeon Ian Paterson will finally receive compensation as a result of negotiations led by medical negligence law firm Thompsons Solicitors following Court Order approval today (Wednesday 27 September) in the High Court. 

Varying amounts of the compensation will be split between each of Paterson’s private patients depending on the severity and complexity of their medical negligence claim.

Thompsons Solicitors is very proud to win this case on behalf of hundreds of women and men who have unnecessarily suffered for so long, but our work doesn’t end here. Thompsons has set up a campaign called Patients Before Profits to ensure the ‘legal loophole’, which allowed Spire to evade responsibility, is closed.

Linda Millband national lead lawyer for medical negligence at Thompsons Solicitors

Thompsons Solicitors has been representing over 500 of Paterson’s patients, more than any other law firm, and has been working on the case for over five years. Many of their clients were operated on privately at Spire Parkway Hospital and Spire Little Aston Hospital in the West Midlands by Paterson. 

Linda Millband, national lead lawyer for medical negligence at Thompsons Solicitors said: “We now have Court approval of a settlement that is long overdue. At long last our clients will be financially compensated after years of deliberate and protracted stalling by Spire.” 

“All I can say is thank you from the bottom of my heart to Thompsons Solicitors who first brought this issue to light and who have fought tooth and nail to win for us.”

Rachel Butler one of Mr Paterson’s victims and Thompsons Solicitors client

Thompsons Solicitors, who broke the story to the press five years ago, say that the multi-million pound compensation from Spire is only the first step in ensuring that the private healthcare system cannot be allowed to play the system and evade liability again. 

Ms Millband continued: “Thompsons Solicitors is very proud to win this case on behalf of hundreds of women and men who have unnecessarily suffered for so long, but our work doesn’t end here. Thompsons has set up a campaign called Patients Before Profits to ensure the ‘legal loophole’, which allowed Spire to evade responsibility, is closed.” 

The national medical negligence law firm is taking the lead in highlighting the difference between the private healthcare sector’s approach to recognising, admitting and paying out when it is at fault, compared with the NHS. 

Rachel Butler, one of Mr Paterson’s victims who will be receiving compensation said: “It is a relief that we will now receive some form of compensation for the hell we’ve been through. All I can say is thank you from the bottom of my heart to Thompsons Solicitors who first brought this issue to light and who have fought tooth and nail to win for us. We now need to see a complete change in the private healthcare sector to make sure no one ever has to wait this long for justice again.”