Pabla Solicitors representing three patients of Mr Jabbar

A major review, published last week by the Trust Board of Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), has detailed the extent of harm caused by surgeon Mr Yaser Jabbar. Investigations have revealed that, in the 5 years that Mr Jabbar was actively working in the hospital, several children in his care were subjected to unnecessary surgeries, and many went on to suffer irreparable and severe harm.

Mr Jabbar worked across several NHS hospitals and specialised primarily in lower limb reconstructive surgery. The review examined the care of 789 children treated during his tenure.

In recent months, national media coverage has highlighted the experiences of some of his former patients. These include children left with ‘horrifying’ chronic pain; and children who now rely on wheelchairs following unsuccessful surgery.

Pabla & Pabla Clinical Negligence Solicitors currently act for a number of former patients and their families in connection with treatment provided by Mr Jabbar. For those affected, the consequences have been profound. Families place immense trust in medical professionals and healthcare institutions, particularly when children require complex surgical care. Where that trust is undermined by substandard treatment, the impact can be life-changing. At Pabla and Pabla, we believe that those harmed by Mr Jabbar’s negligence deserve accountability and justice.

How did Mr Jabbar operate for so long?

The surgeries performed by Mr Jabbar are deeply concerning – but perhaps even more concerning is how they went on for so long. During Mr Jabbar’s tenure with Great Ormond Street Hospital, concerns were raised by both clinical colleagues and the parents of children under his care. Children were frequently left worse off following surgery than they had been beforehand. Investigations have since revealed that there were multiple missed opportunities in the early stages to properly scrutinise his practice and prevent further harm.

In 2020, a fellow surgeon at the hospital raised concerns about an operation Mr Jabbar had performed on a child’s elbow. A brief internal report was produced, which treated the incident as an isolated issue rather than a potential indicator of a wider pattern of unsafe practice. Mr Jabbar was permitted to continue operating on children.

In 2021, a year later, a consultant surgeon at the hospital (Sarah McMahon) began seeing Mr Jabbar’s patients whilst he was on leave. Whilst reviewing the patients, she identified a consistent pattern of poor outcomes and raised formal concerns with hospital management. She later told her MP that she was “effectively told to keep quiet and concentrate on [her] own patients” and was threatened with disciplinary action. Mr Jabbar returned from leave and continued operating on children.

Sarah continued to raise concerns, and only after 18 months of doing so did the Royal College of Surgeons begin investigating. They initially looked into 200 patients, before clear trends emerged and they broadened their review to all 789 patients seen by Mr Jabbar.

In January 2024, Mr Jabbar relinquished his license to practice surgery in the UK, and has since fled the country. He is now believed to be practicing surgery abroad.

The report analysing his clinical failures, published last week, concluded that “Mr Jabbar was highly inconsistent in his approach to clinical care with recurrent deficiencies in documentation, assessment, and surgical decision-making”. For many, this may feel like too little, too late.

Physical and psychological impacts of Mr Jabbar's surgeries

The Trust’s review did not confine its criticism to Mr Jabbar’s surgical technique alone. It identified systemic failures that allowed unsafe practice to continue unchecked. Inadequate clinical records, poor documentation of consent, and a failure to properly explain non-surgical alternatives were all recurring themes. In many cases, patient notes were incomplete or unclear, making it difficult for other clinicians to assess whether surgery had been clinically justified or appropriately planned.

Crucially, the review quantified the scale of harm suffered by children under Mr Jabbar’s care.

Of the 789 cases examined, harm attributable to his treatment was identified in 94 children.
19 children were assessed as having suffered mild harm, requiring additional observation or minor remedial treatment.
39 children experienced moderate harm, involving prolonged recovery, further inpatient care of up to two weeks, or extended treatment lasting several months, with a measurable impact on the success of the original surgery and, in some cases, a temporary loss of independence.
Most concerningly, 36 children were found to have suffered severe harm. This included permanent injury, significant deterioration in existing health conditions, and prolonged or lifelong limitations on independence. Some children required life-saving intervention, extended hospital admissions exceeding two weeks, or further treatment lasting longer than six months. In a number of cases, the review concluded that Mr Jabbar’s treatment had even reduced life expectancy.

Beyond these physical consequences, families have described the profound psychological toll of their experiences. Parents have spoken of feeling dismissed or “gaslit” when raising concerns, and of the lasting guilt they carry for having trusted a specialist whose care ultimately caused harm. For children, repeated procedures, chronic pain, and loss of mobility have had enduring effects on mental wellbeing, education, and social development.

Parents seeking treatment for their children already do so in a state of understandable anxiety. They place exceptional trust in clinicians and in the institutions responsible for overseeing them. Where that trust is breached, and where opportunities to prevent harm are repeatedly missed, the impact can be devastating and lifelong. The findings of this review underline not only the seriousness of Mr Jabbar’s clinical failures, but also the institutional responsibility to ensure that concerns raised by staff and families are acted upon before further children are harmed.

How can Pabla & Pabla help you?

Pabla & Pabla Solicitors are currently acting for a number of former patients of Mr Jabbar, and their families, in connection with negligent treatment they received as children. We would welcome the opportunity to assist other patients who believe they may have been affected.

As a specialist, family-run firm, we understand that clinical negligence claims—particularly those involving children—require far more than technical legal expertise alone. Families come to us at some of the most distressing moments of their lives, often seeking answers, reassurance, and accountability as much as financial redress.

Our clinical negligence team has extensive experience in complex paediatric injury claims and a strong track record of securing compensation, apologies, and meaningful outcomes for families harmed by substandard medical care. We work closely with leading medical experts and specialist counsel to ensure that each case is thoroughly investigated and pursued.

Unlike larger volume practices, we deliberately limit the number of cases we take on. This allows us to provide every client with a high level of personal attention and continuity. Our clients have direct access to the solicitors handling their claim, clear communication at every stage, and the reassurance that their case is being managed with care, diligence, and sensitivity.

Karen Booth, our Head of Clinical Negligence, said:

“There is no greater heartbreak as a parent than that of an injury to your child, especially when you put your child’s health and wellbeing into the hands of someone you thought you could trust.

Here at Pabla & Pabla Solicitors, we know that family must always come first. We act for several families whose children have been subjected to surgeries by Mr Jabbar. Of course, some of those children are now young adults looking for guidance, answers and support.

We welcome the investigation and report. However, we now urge Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust and their insurers NHS Resolution to proactively work with Claimant solicitors. The families they represent deserve an end to their physical and mental suffering, a swift settlement, and most importantly a written apology.”

The barrister we are working with on these cases, Dr Peter Ellis of Hailsham Chambers, said;

“It has been a privilege to work with the experts at Pabla & Pabla, as we seek to resolve claims arising out of the orthopaedic operations performed negligently by Yaser Jabbar at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children between 2017 and 2022.

Following the recent publication of the hospital’s review, we hope that the claims for financial redress are dealt with speedily. However, we fully appreciate that no sum of money can truly compensate a child whose formative years have been blighted by botched surgeries, and the need for avoidable revision procedures.”