An NHS whistleblower has raised serious concerns about a spinal surgery scandal, warning that patients may have been “spectacularly abandoned” while senior figures “protected reputations at all costs”.
Retired consultant anaesthetist Dr Glyn Smurthwaite said he and colleagues spent years attempting to raise concerns about the practice of former spinal surgeon John Bradley Williamson, but felt these were not adequately acted upon at the time.
The surgeon worked at Salford Royal Hospital between 1991 and January 2015, when he was dismissed for misconduct unrelated to clinical care.
“We had one opportunity to make an intransigent trust do the right thing,” he said.“We have spectacularly abandoned patients.”
His warning comes as an NHS England-commissioned “review of the reviews” into the case is expected to report this month.
However, the Sunday Express has learnt it is unlikely to recommend a full recall of all former patients treated by the surgeon.
Instead, patients may be advised to come forward themselves if they wish to have their care reviewed.
Dr Smurthwaite said that approach risks leaving many unaware they may have been harmed.
Retired consultant anaesthetist Dr Glyn Smurthwaite said he and colleagues spent years attempting to raise concerns
“Patients don’t know what they don’t know,” he said. “Unless someone actively looks for them, we will never know the true scale of harm.”
He is now calling for a full, career-wide review of all patients treated by the surgeon.
The case has been reviewed by the NHS and independent investigators.
Twenty cases of serious concern have been identified through those reviews and clinical investigations, including that of 17-year-old Catherine O’Connor, who died during spinal surgery at Salford Royal Hospital in 2007 after suffering catastrophic blood loss.
A 2022 independent review concluded that aspects of the surgeon’s conduct, including the absence of a second consultant during the complex procedure, had directly contributed to her death.
The report also raised concerns about how the original inquest was informed and found that the trust did not adequately investigate early warning signs.
Catherine, who was born with spina bifida, had been undergoing surgery to correct a severe spinal deformity.
Her family have since called for a fresh inquest and a full recall of all patients treated by the surgeon.
The same review identified wider concerns about clinical practice, describing behaviour as “unacceptable and unprofessional” and concluding that other patients may also have been harmed.
A separate wider review of around 130 patients treated between 2009 and 2014 found a number of serious issues, including misplaced screws, significant blood loss, failures in surgical planning and concerns around consent processes.
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Simon Wainwright is a former patient, who says he suffered severe complications following major spinal surgery
Other patients are reported to have experienced life-changing complications.
Among them is Simon Wainwright, 52, from Runcorn, Cheshire, a former patient, who says he suffered severe complications following major spinal surgery.
The father-of-one began experiencing back pain in 2008 and was referred to John Bradley Williamson for spinal surgery, during which posterior rods and screws were inserted.
Records later revealed the first operation didn’t properly fuse his spine and several screws were misplaced.
The 52-year-old has since required multiple revision surgeries to address complications arising from that original procedure, some of which meant lengthy hospital stays lasting months.
He also said he lost a significant amount of blood during surgery, which required a transfusion, and which he was not informed about until later in his recovery.
He now lives with reduced mobility and chronic pain. “I went through hell and am suffering to this day,” he said. “There are things that happened to me that I was never properly told about.”
He also said he does not believe he was fully informed of the risks before surgery.
Dr Smurthwaite also described cases raised by clinicians at the time, including one in which a patient was left on the operating table during a prolonged interruption to surgery before another surgeon intervened.
He said such situations can increase risks including infection and blood clots.
In another case, clinicians alleged that surgery was performed at the incorrect spinal level, resulting in paralysis.
He said such cases formed part of a small number of examples presented to hospital leadership in an effort to prompt action.
In January 2025, the case was raised in the House of Commons by Labour MP for Greater Manchester, Jo Platt, who highlighted distressing accounts from affected patients and called for further investigation
The Prime Minister described the case as “heartbreaking and deeply concerning” and said he would ensure those affected were able to meet with the health minister.
The UK’s patient safety minister, Baroness Gillian Merron, has since intervened, describing the accounts she had heard as “sobering and alarming” and pointing to concerns about accountability and missed opportunities to act.
She has asked NHS England to consider further action, including whether additional patients should be contacted and whether wider cultural and governance issues need to be examined.
Despite the surgeon’s career spanning more than two decades, only around 130 patients have been included in formal review processes to date.
Campaigners argue this represents only a proportion of those treated, raising concerns that further cases may remain unidentified.
Since concerns first emerged publicly in 2022, additional patients have come forward, some requiring further corrective treatment years after their original surgery.
Legal representatives, including Fletchers Solicitors, are supporting a number of affected patients and have highlighted concerns about informed consent, surgical standards and long-term patient outcomes.
Francesca Paul, Partner at Fletchers Solicitors, said: “This review must not be treated simply as another procedural exercise.
"It must lead to meaningful action, including appropriate redress for those affected and tangible changes to ensure patient safety going forward.”
“We represent a number of affected patients and families who have been engaging with this process over a significant period of time.
"For many, this has been an extremely distressing and uncertain experience but we continue to urge anyone affected by Mr Williamson’s treatment to come forward.”
The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, which now runs Salford Royal Hospital, has previously apologised for failings in care identified in reviews.
Mr Williamson has previously said he always sought to provide the best possible care for his patients and that he would cooperate with any future investigations.
Dr Smurthwaite said the focus must now be on identifying all those who may have been affected.
“Some patients may need further treatment. Some may have been harmed without realising it,” he said. “This isn’t about the past - this is about patients living with the consequences today.”
He added that without a comprehensive effort to identify former patients, the true extent of harm may never be fully understood.