Deborah Douglas, a 67-year-old mother-of-three, has bravely shared her harrowing experience as a victim of disgraced surgeon Ian Paterson, who subjected her to an unnecessary mastectomy and seven months of chemotherapy. Speaking on ITV's This Morning, Deborah recounted the traumatic events that began in 2003 when she discovered a lump in her breast and was referred to Paterson, falsely reassured he was "the best" consultant in the country.
The Initial Consultation and Deceptive Trust
Deborah described how she first met Dr Paterson at a private hospital after her GP recommended using her healthcare cover. She recalled, "I felt really confident when I walked in to see him - you're at your most vulnerable you could ever be after being presented with cancer." Having lost both parents to cancer, she placed her complete trust in Paterson, unaware he would ultimately harm her.
Painful Procedures and Shock Diagnosis
During her initial consultation, Paterson performed a biopsy without anaesthetic, using a large needle to jab into her breast. Deborah likened the sensation to "a red hot poker being stabbed into my breast," noting the nurse appeared perturbed. Within days, Paterson abruptly declared, "the breast has got to come off," leaving Deborah feeling she had no choice but to comply for the sake of her three children.
The Unnecessary Surgery and Aftermath
Deborah underwent a radical mastectomy that involved removing her left breast, all lymph nodes, and using stomach muscle for reconstruction, leaving her with extensive scarring from hip to hip. She later discovered this entire procedure was unnecessary, as she only required a simple lumpectomy for a grade one cancer with no lymph node spread.
Chemotherapy and Financial Motives
Following surgery, Deborah endured seven months of chemotherapy that she now knows was also unnecessary. She revealed, "It was a horrendous procedure and he put me through that for monetary gain. The insurance paid, no questions asked." This included unnecessary PET scans involving radioactive dye injections.
Discovery of Paterson's Crimes
In 2010, Deborah read newspaper reports detailing Paterson's "cleavage sparing mastectomy" operations, an unapproved technique that left behind breast tissue. She explained, "There's no such operation, first of all, it doesn't exist... if you've got cancer, all that breast tissue needs to be removed."
Legal Proceedings and Ongoing Inquests
Paterson is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being found guilty in 2017 of 17 counts of wounding with intent. In 2024, an inquest began into the deaths of 62 of his former patients, believed to be one of the largest ever held in the UK. There are currently 65 inquests ongoing into his medical conduct.
Compensation and Patient Impact
More than 750 patients treated by Paterson received compensation payouts from a £37 million fund in September 2017. Deborah noted that when she saw Paterson in court, "there was no contrition, he wasn't sorry," adding she believed he had "groomed all these women in the community."
Paterson's Defense and Medical Guidelines
During a recent inquest, Paterson claimed he "never intentionally left breast tissue behind" during mastectomies, stating "every mastectomy is incomplete." However, his trial revealed he routinely left breast tissue to preserve patients' cleavages, a clear breach of established medical guidelines.
Deborah's story highlights the devastating consequences of medical malpractice and the importance of patient advocacy in the healthcare system.
