More than 200 patients were harmed by a now-suspended orthopaedic surgeon who was allowed to continue operating for eight years after concerns were first raised about her care, a hospital report has revealed.
Kuldeep Stohr worked as a consultant at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge before an investigation was launched into her work in March 2024.
While an initial review found nine children had received substandard care, the scope of that review was later extended to include nearly a thousand patients.
In an update to its board of directors, erroneously published on its website, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust revealed 93% of cases – 924 – had now been reviewed and 889 patients had been told the results.
It added that 209 patients “have been found to have experienced harm”.
The report continued: “Of these, the majority (139) received an elective procedure when they were children. Forty-seven cases of harm… have been rated as severe.”
One patient, nine-year-old Jack Moate, died two months after being operated on by Ms Stohr, who was officially suspended in February 2025 but had not carried out clinical work for nine months before that.
Jack Moate died two months after being operated on by Kuldeep Stohr, a now-suspended surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital Credit: Family photo
His mother, Elizabeth Moate, said she and other families had not known the latest update would be made public.
“I was really surprised and shocked to see all the numbers, to see how much damage has been done,” she said. “The numbers were a little higher than I thought as well.
“This does affect a lot of families. We’re already grieving and going through quite a hard time with this situation. To have all the information publicly put out there without any forewarning has come as quite a surprise and it’s quite shocking.
“As a mum – as all the other mums and dads – we’ve been through enough already.”
Ms Stohr, who has been approached for comment, has previously told ITV News she had always aimed to give her patients the best care and was co-operating with the review.
Cambridge University Hospital (CUH) said it was “deeply sorry to patients and families who came to harm” and acknowledged the latest update would have “come as a shock”.
It was published on the trust’s website ahead of a board meeting on Wednesday 9 September. The report intended to give directors “the final update prior to completion of the review” ahead of a final report in November.
Nicola Ayton, chief executive of CUH, said she would be writing to all patients and families affected by the investigation to “apologise and explain what happened”.
Lawyers representing some of the families involved said they had received the first admissions of liability for patients harmed by the surgeon.
Hudgells Solicitors is seeking compensation for victims but said a public inquiry was now “essential” to get answers.
Solicitor Elizabeth Maliakal said the 200 cases of harm “could and should have been prevented”.
She added: “The admissions of liability are a significant development for affected patients and their families and we will be seeking more admissions in other cases moving forward to ensure the legal process can progress as smoothly as possible to secure compensation.
Solicitor Elizabeth Maliakal, who has been representing families, said a public inquiry was now essential. Credit: Hudgell Solicitors
“Beyond individual legal cases however there are so many questions which need to be asked and answered here, and we can’t allow major health scandals like this to be brushed under the carpet with carefully curated apologies, lip-service to lessons learned and empty promises for change.”Families deserve and demand accountability which can only come with a full public inquiry which has the power to compel senior trust representatives to give evidence as to how and why Ms Stohr was not properly supervised and supported following the review a decade ago, and why patient safety was not made a priority at all times.”
In October 2025, an independent investigation commissioned by the NHS trust and carried out by Verita found 32 missed opportunities to take action against Ms Stohr.
It found concerns about her practice were first raised in 2016 but she was allowed to continue working for a further eight years, resulting in “prolonged risk to patients”.
Hudgells Solicitors said several families told by the trust that no harm had been caused were now requesting a second review.
CUH chief executive Ms Ayton said: “The external clinical review, chaired by Andrew Kennedy KC, is due to be completed later this year. We have promised that once we receive the final report, which will include confirmed levels of patient harm, we will share it with patients and families first before publishing it in full. “
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