Earlier this month, the Guardian revealed that Sussex police were examining possible corporate and individual manslaughter charges. The force is reviewing 90 deaths and more than 100 cases of serious harm with the help of a team of independent surgeons.
There is also internal concern in UHS at the inexperience of the current surgeons operating at the hospital. Only five of the 12 surgeons on the rota for emergency surgery are on the General Medical Council’s specialist register, inclusion on which is requirement for a consultant’s post.
The source said: “If you have one or two surgeons who are not on the register you can cope, but having a majority not on the register is unheard of because of the level of training and expertise required.”