Three deaths linked to St Helier lung doctor’s advice as 203 patients face review
Barnet-based solicitors demand independent inquiry after Royal College of Physicians report finds harm to 15 patients
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Three patients at St Helier Hospital died earlier than they should have after following advice from consultant Veronica Varney, a report by the Royal College of Physicians has found. The review, published in June 2024, examined 28 cases of patients with interstitial lung disease treated by Varney between 2019 and 2022. It concluded that her recommendations, including avoiding flu vaccinations and rapeseed oil, had no evidence base and caused lasting harm to 15 people.
Trust to review 203 more patients
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Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust will now examine the care of another 203 patients treated by Varney for interstitial lung disease. The work, expected to take up to two years, follows the Royal College of Physicians’ report, which the trust has accepted in full. Patients or their families have been contacted to discuss concerns and apologised to for the failings identified.
Dr Richard Jennings, the trust’s group chief medical officer, said the review would follow the same methods as the Royal College of Physicians to ensure it is thorough and transparent. He added that the trust had already reviewed the care of ILD patients contacted in 2024 to confirm they were on the correct treatment plans.
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Solicitors representing affected families have called for the review to be led by independent experts rather than the trust. Maria Repanos, a solicitor at Hudgell Solicitors, said an internal review could not provide the transparency families needed. She told the BBC that trust between patients and the hospital had already been broken and that an independent process was the only way to restore confidence.
A review process which is not external, objective and independent cannot offer that reassurance at all.
Maria Repanos, Hudgell Solicitors
Varney, who left the trust in 2023, was referred to the General Medical Council when she stopped treating patients. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service suspended her from practising medicine on an interim basis in July 2024. She told the Royal College of Physicians’ review that she had raised concerns about the side effects of approved drugs and preferred to try other medicines first. She has not commented publicly since her suspension.
What happens next
The trust’s review of the 203 patients is expected to begin within weeks and will take up to two years to complete. Families who wish to raise concerns can contact the trust directly. The General Medical Council will continue its investigation into Varney’s fitness to practise, though no date has been set for a final hearing.
Questions this report answers
+How many patients were harmed by Dr Varney’s advice?
The Royal College of Physicians’ report found that 15 patients suffered lasting harm after following Veronica Varney’s advice. Three died sooner than they otherwise might have, while 12 others experienced permanent or long-term harm, including missed treatments that could have improved their quality of life.
+What happens during the trust’s review of 203 patients?
The trust will examine the care of 203 more of Varney’s interstitial lung disease patients over the next two years. The review will follow the same methods as the Royal College of Physicians’ report to ensure it is thorough and transparent. Patients or their families will be contacted to discuss any concerns.
+Why are families calling for an independent review?
Families and their solicitors argue that an independent review is necessary to ensure transparency and restore trust. They believe the trust cannot objectively investigate itself after the harm already caused. The trust has said it will conduct the review internally, following the Royal College of Physicians’ methods.
+What was Dr Varney suspended for?
Veronica Varney was suspended from practising medicine in July 2024 after the Royal College of Physicians found her advice, including avoiding flu vaccinations and rapeseed oil, had no evidence base. The report linked her recommendations to three premature deaths and lasting harm to 12 other patients.
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