Urologist to answer questions over 10 cancer patient deaths Published duration 1 October 2019

image copyright Google image caption Dr Paul Miller is due to answer questions at Crawley Coroner's Court over the deaths of patients

"No aspects" of the care received by three cancer patients from a senior doctor contributed to their premature deaths, an expert has said.

Dr Paul Miller is facing scrutiny at the inquests of 10 of his former cancer patients who died between 2006 and 2015.

They were treated by Dr Miller, a former consultant urologist at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill.

Dr Miller is due to answer questions at Crawley Coroner's Court on Wednesday.

Inquests into the deaths of the 10 former patients are being heard together at Centenary House.

They are: Keith Reynolds, 68; Leslie Owers, 75; Lilian Cole, 82; Martin Turner, 86; Renfried Avery, 80; Frederick Le Vallois, 71; Ian Spurgeon, 85; Alan Burgess, 72; Graham Stoten, 57; and Jose Cressy, 76.

Senior coroner Penelope Schofield has taken over the running of the inquests, originally heard before Dr Karen Henderson in October 2018.

In a statement relating to treatment of Mr Burgess, Dr Miller, who lives in the US, described how his cancer had become resistant to chemotherapy.

'No unnecessary delays'

It stated: "I am not aware of any unnecessary delays in the treatment of Mr Burgess.

"No concern was raised at the time by team members concerning his management."

Dr Simon Russell, a consultant oncologist at Cambridge University Hospitals, was called as an expert witness by the coroner.

He said in a statement: "There are no aspects of the clinical care that contributed to the premature death."

Likewise with the treatment of Ms Cole and Ms Cressy - both for bladder cancer - Dr Russell said the clinical care they received did not contribute to premature death.

An emailed statement from Grace Owers, wife of Leslie Owers, was read out at the inquest on Monday.

In it, she addressed her fears of "delays in diagnoses and appropriate treatment and the lack of investigation when presenting with severe symptoms".

She added: "The notes show these failings and we have nothing further to add."

The inquests continue.

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