THE cases of five rheumatology patients have been referred to the States police in relation to the treatment provided by the Health Department, it has emerged.
A freedom-of-information request also revealed that the government has received 42 letters of claim regarding rheumatology care.
Potential legal claims against the General Hospital’s rheumatology department started gathering pace last year after it emerged that hundreds of patients were misdiagnosed or given powerful drugs they did not need.
The issues were unearthed following a review by the Royal College of Physicians, which described the standard of care as “well below what the review team would consider acceptable” for a contemporary rheumatological service.
Last year, the Health Department said it was “developing an approach to legal matters” and hoped to make settlement offers by the end of 2024 – either on a case-by-case basis or by way of a general compensation scheme.
But in May it emerged that plans for any kind of group compensation scheme for rheumatology patients had been scrapped.
The government this week confirmed that no rheumatology claims have proceeded to court, and none have been settled outside of court.
Five living patients have had their cases referred to police, and 33 deceased patients have been referred to the viscount.
It comes after a total of 67 duty of candour letters were issued to rheumatology patients in Jersey. A duty of candour letter is provided to service users, their family, or carers after something has gone wrong with their care.
To assess whether an individual has suffered medical harm, a comprehensive review of their health care is completed by an independent consultant rheumatologist on the specialist register.
It last month emerged that one of the doctors at the centre of the rheumatology review had restrictions on his clinical practice lifted.
Dr Michael Richardson is now permitted to undertake clinical practice in general medicine and geriatrics, subject to revalidation.
But the Health Minister confirmed that the former consultant is “not currently employed” by his department.
