INQUESTS have been opened into the deaths of four women treated by rogue breast surgeon Ian Paterson, who was jailed in 2017 for wounding patients. Birmingham’s senior coroner Louise Hunt said preliminary investigations gave her reason to believe the deaths “may have been caused or contributed to by acts or omissions in the treatment provided”.

The Glasgow-born surgeon was employed by Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (HEFT) but had practising privileges in the independent sector at Spire Parkway and Spire Little Aston in Birmingham.

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He was jailed in 2017 after being found guilty of 17 counts of wounding patients with intent, against 10 victims. He was found to have carried out unnecessary operations in NHS and private hospitals, exaggerating or inventing cancer risks and claiming payments for more expensive procedures. He was handed a 15-year prison term, but Court of Appeal judges later increased his tariff to 20 years.

The independent Paterson Inquiry, published in February, was presented with NHS figures showing that of Paterson’s 1206 mastectomy patients, 675 had died by 2017.

In September 2017, more than 750 patients received compensation from a £37 million fund.