Recommendation 7: UHB patient recall
From Report of the Independent Inquiry into the Issues raised by Paterson, published 4 February 2020.
Recommendation
We recommend that the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust board should check that all patients of Paterson have been recalled, and to communicate with any who have not been seen.
In brief (written by this site)
In commentary from September 2024 published in February 2026, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England reported that University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust had contacted all known living patients of Ian Paterson by August 2020 and reviewed their care by June 2021 (DHSC and NHS England, Feb 2026). They noted that the trust continues to support relatives of deceased patients who make contact, offering detailed reviews and meetings to discuss findings (DHSC and NHS England, Feb 2026). In its February 2026 review, the Thirlwall Inquiry legal team found that the recommendation had been accepted in full and that the trust had carried out the patient contacts and care reviews (The Thirlwall Inquiry legal team, Feb 2026).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
Accept
By August 2020, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust had contacted all known living patients of Ian Paterson.
By the end of June 2021, the trust had ensured that all known former patients had had their care reviewed and that any outstanding concerns were addressed in a way that was determined by the patient.
We accept this recommendation in full and we are pleased it has been fully implemented by the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) for all known living patients of Ian Paterson.
Delivery
DHSC and NHS England say in progress (27 February 2026)
By August 2020, University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) had contacted all known living patients of Ian Paterson.
By the end June 2021, UHB had ensured that all known former patients had their care reviewed and that any outstanding concerns were addressed in a way that was determined by the patient. UHB continues to support any relatives of the deceased who make contact by providing a detailed review/report of the care their loved one received. Relatives are offered the chance to discuss the findings in a meeting (some have taken up this offer).
Site note: DHSC and NHS England's own account of progress, supplied to the Thirlwall Inquiry in September 2024 and printed in the Inquiry legal team's Review of Implementation of Recommendations from Previous Inquiries into Healthcare Issues (version dated April 2025, published 27 February 2026). It is not a finding of the Inquiry. Their reviewed extent of implementation reads “Implemented - Ongoing”. Table row: section 29.2 No. P5 / Action 5.1, PDF page 743-744.
DHSC states no delivery position (15 May 2024)
Action 5.1
By August 2020, UHB contacted all known living patients of Ian Paterson.
By end June 2021, UHB had ensured that all known former patients had their care reviewed and that any outstanding concerns were addressed in a way that was determined by the patient.
UHB continues to support any relatives of the deceased who make contact by providing a detailed review/report of the care their loved one received. Relatives are offered the chance to discuss the findings in a meeting (some have taken up this offer).
Action 5.2
Spire reports that the reviews of nearly all the patients contacted since the Paterson inquiry report have been completed. To ensure that this exercise has not omitted any patients of Paterson, Spire continues to interrogate the complex legacy IT systems that pre-dated Spire’s formation and takeover of Bupa hospitals. Spire will continue to contact any patients they identify as a result of this.
From: The Thirlwall Inquiry: Review of Implementation of Recommendations from Previous Inquiries into Healthcare Issues (version of 15 May 2024), The Department of Health and Social Care
Site note: DHSC's own comments on progress, supplied to the Thirlwall Inquiry in February 2024 and printed in the Inquiry legal team's Review of Implementation of Recommendations from Previous Inquiries into Healthcare Issues (version of 15 May 2024). They are not a finding of the Inquiry. Table row: section 26.2 No. P5 / Action 5.1, 5.2, PDF page 740-741.
Department of Health and Social Care says in progress (23 March 2021)
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) contacted 4,394 patients between May and August 2020. This has given rise to 355 enquiries. Following receipt of each enquiry, the patient /relative was contacted directly by a member of a dedicated team to ensure that the Trust was responding in a way that was respectful and responsive to individual patient preferences. For patients who underwent a breast procedure, care was reviewed by a Consultant Breast Surgeon who was independent from the Trust. For patients who had a general procedure e.g. hernia repair or a varicose veins/other vascular procedure, care was reviewed by a consultant from UHB.
Site note: Written statement HCWS869 of 23 March 2021, made by Nadine Dorries, Minister of State for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health, for the Department of Health and Social Care. It prints this recommendation and gives this passage under it. The recommendation is addressed to University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust; the passage is the Department's account of what University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust did, not University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust's own.
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
Thirlwall Inquiry legal team (27 February 2026)
Action 5.1:
Accepted in full. By August 2020, University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) NHS Foundation Trust had contacted all known living patients of Ian Paterson. By the end of June 2021, the trust had ensured that all known former patients had had their care reviewed and that any outstanding concerns were addressed in a way that was determined by the patient.
Site note: The Thirlwall Inquiry legal team's own notes on implementation, from its Review of Implementation of Recommendations from Previous Inquiries into Healthcare Issues (version dated April 2025, published 27 February 2026). The review colours its Extent of Implementation cell for this recommendation green, which it uses to mark evidence, identified by the legal team and/or DHSC and NHS England, that a recommendation has been clearly implemented. Table row: section 29.2 No. P5 / Action 5.1, PDF page 743-744.
Earlier findings (1)
Thirlwall Inquiry legal team (15 May 2024)
Action 5.1:
Accepted in full. By August 2020, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust had contacted all known living patients of Ian Paterson. By the end of June 2021, the trust had ensured that all known former patients had had their care reviewed and that any outstanding concerns were addressed in a way that was determined by the patient.
Action 5.2: Accepted in full.
By December 2020, Spire had proactively contacted all known living patients of Ian Paterson to check that their care had been fully reviewed, and that they were getting any ongoing support and treatment that they needed. Spire had reviewed the care of over two-thirds of the patients concerned. As of the 12-month implementation update, Spire had reviewed nearly all the patients affected.
Site note: The Thirlwall Inquiry legal team's own notes on implementation, from its Review of Implementation of Recommendations from Previous Inquiries into Healthcare Issues (version of 15 May 2024). The review colours its Extent of Implementation cell for this recommendation green, which it uses to mark evidence, identified by the legal team, that a recommendation has been clearly implemented. Table row: section 26.2 No. P5 / Action 5.1, 5.2, PDF page 740-741.
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Department of Health and Social Care
Response, delivery statement - DHSC and NHS England
Delivery statement - DHSC
Delivery statement - Thirlwall Inquiry legal team
Finding