Police have launched an investigation into more than 200 cases of surgery deaths or injury in Sussex, it is reported.
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust is one of the largest NHS Trusts in the south-east of England.
Whistleblowers raised concerns about general surgery and neurosurgery, ITV News reported.
The number of cases has doubled since police launched the investigation in 2023.
Sussex Police has reportedly taken more than 130 statements and produced 550 reports in their investigation.
Currently, no arrests have been made.
In 2023, police began investigating the deaths of around 40 people at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton over a five-year period.
Claims of medical negligence were made by two consultant surgeons who lost their jobs after blowing the whistle about patient safety, The Guardian reported.
An ambulance drives past the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton
Krishna Singh, former clinical director for surgery at the hospital, claimed he lost his post after raising the alarm about several of the deaths.
Mr Singh alleged cost-cutting exercises ‘were driven through that were grossly unsafe and ultimately drove up complication rates and patient mortality’.
He further alleged that surgeons had been promoted before they were sufficiently competent and that locums lacking the necessary skills were ‘overused’.
Both whistleblowers claimed the trust failed to properly investigate the deaths, which took place between 2015 and 2020, and learn from mistakes made
The Trust was last inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in October 2022.
A report published in May 23 downgraded the Trust’s rating and it was given a ‘requires improvement’ rating for patient safety.
Sussex Police said they are conducting a thorough and transparent investigation, but admitted it is likely to take ‘some time’ to complete.
A spokesperson for University Hospitals Sussex said they are co-operating fully with Sussex Police.
Police are investigating more than 200 cases of death or injury caused by surgery
It comes after an investigation was launched into baby deaths at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust in 2023.
Dozens of babies died or were left with serious injuries in maternity units at the Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital.
Bereaved parents then faced a battle for answers from the hospital which they accused of lacking transparency.
Nottingham has accepted its maternity services were unsafe and has paid almost £90million in compensation.
The claims related to dozens of deaths, stillbirths and 46 cases of babies left brain damaged after mistakes.
