Investigation into suspended Cambridge surgeon expanded
Kuldeep Stohr's clinical work was restricted after colleagues raised concerns, and hundreds of her past surgeries are being reviewed
More patients who were operated on by a now-suspended surgeon will have their care reviewed after an investigation that was already looking at more than 700 cases was extended.
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) commissioned an external review into the practice of orthopaedic consultant Kuldeep Stohr in 2024 after colleagues raised concerns.
Her clinical practice was restricted as a precautionary measure and she remains suspended.
An initial review concluded in January 2025 that “the outcomes of treatment provided to a small number of patients were below the standard we would expect”.
A wider external clinical review has been ongoing since February 2025, tasked with reviewing an initial 700 planned surgical operations carried out by Ms Stohr.
Experts have also reviewed an initial 90 trauma cases to determine if there are concerns about the emergency treatment provided by Ms Stohr.
Concerns had been raised as early as 2015 and were the subject of an external clinical review in 2016.
A separate independent review, which reported back last year, highlighted how the 2016 review raised concerns about Ms Stohr’s surgical technique and judgment but it was “misunderstood” and opportunities to act on the findings were “missed”.
Now the trust has said, in a letter sent to the parents of a patient this month, that “the external clinical review team have decided to increase the number of patients in scope of the retrospective clinical review”.
The letter, seen by the Press Association, continued: “The review will now include additional patients who have received an emergency orthopaedic procedure by Ms Kuldeep Stohr.”
The letter said their child’s treatment would be included in the review process, “following careful consideration by the independent clinical experts”.
Solicitor Elizabeth Maliakal, of Hudgell Solicitors, which is representing a number of families affected by the ongoing investigations, said there must be more areas of concern over emergency procedures.
“This is a significant development, given it comes 14 months after the initial review was commissioned by the trust into the surgeries Ms Stohr had conducted in her time there,” she said.
“There are obviously more areas of significant concern over emergency procedures which have been raised for this move to be taken.
“Perhaps significantly, the cases we have been instructed on relating to emergency procedures relate mostly to upper limb surgeries.
“The cases we are instructed on for planned surgeries mostly relate to lower limb surgeries.”
It is expected that the clinical review process will conclude later this year, with the trust set to publish findings and any recommendations.
Mrs Maliakal said the law firm knows “from communications between the trust and our clients that hundreds of reviews have now been completed, with the findings communicated with families”.
Dr Sue Broster, chief medical officer at CUH, said: “We can confirm that the external retrospective clinical review has been extended, with this extension applying to a subset of patients who received emergency orthopaedic procedures.
“This decision follows careful consideration by the external clinical review team, led by Andrew Kennedy KC, which will be looking at whether the treatment provided met the standards and outcomes we would expect.
“We remain committed to supporting all patients and families affected, and our dedicated patient and family liaison team remains on hand to support patients on 07719 407 210 or [email protected].”