THE deaths of 34 rheumatology patients have so far been referred to the Viscount’s Department to be investigated further as part of an ongoing review of care.
Speaking at yesterday’s Health Advisory Board meeting, medical director Patrick Armstrong said they were continuing to look at the deaths of any patient who had been treated by Jersey’s Rheumatology Department since 2019.
The process began in January 2022 when concerns were expressed by a junior doctor and an independent review from the Royal College of Physicians was carried out which found that care in rheumatology was “well below what the review team would consider acceptable”.
The 34 cases highlighted at yesterday’s meeting has risen from the 20 deaths initially referred to the Viscount in July.
Mr Armstrong, who is due to leave his managerial role in January (see separate story on page 6), also confirmed that they were now examining 217 deaths, up from 190 in July.
He said that 67 deaths were still to be reviewed.
Chief Health officer Chris Bown, who this week announced he would be stepping down from his role for medical reasons, added that the Viscount also “expressed concern” that the department should look back further than 2019.
Meanwhile, deputy medical director Simon West said that it was “likely” that some patients had died due to the treatment they had received.
Mr Armstrong described the review as “quite a slow process”.
“It is time-consuming and I think unfortunately it will go on for years,” he said.
An audit carried out by Health following the RCP review found that around a quarter of patients who were prescribed a powerful type of drug did not actually need it.
For more than half of the 341 patients who had been prescribed “biologics”, there was not enough evidence behind their diagnosis.
Law firm Viberts previously said it had dealt with over 100 inquiries from patients who were affected, with some of them suffering “serious” complications.
