A Norfolk surgeon who left two patients with life-changing injuries has received a formal warning by a disciplinary panel.

The BBC reported that a Medical Practitioner’s Tribunal (MPT) concluded that Dr Camilo Valero Valdivieso’s fitness to practise was impaired through “serious misconduct” after two operations went wrong in six days. It heard that he twice “misinterpreted the anatomy” – on one occasion, severing a patient’s gallbladder. It is reported that one of his patients said his life was “a constant struggle” since his operation in January 2020.

The findings from the Medical Practitioners Service (MPTS) panel said that his actions had “risked damaging public confidence in the profession”.

It was further reported however that the MPT concluded that Dr Valdivieso had evidenced sufficient insight and remediation leading them to conclude that his fitness to practise was not currently impaired, allowing him to continue working.

A second patient said she lives with a range of long-term issues following a gallbladder operation carried out by Dr Valero. She is reported to have said she was “beyond broken” by the tribunal decision, saying “We may as well have not come forward.”

In a statement, Erika Denton, the hospital’s medical director, said she accepted the decision and apologised to the two patients who experienced serious injuries and complications.

She added:

“We fully investigated the incidents at the time and commissioned the Royal College of Surgeons (RSC) to review what happened, which resulted in a number of changes to strengthen our surgery processes.

“Mr Valero has expressed his profound sorrow and apologises for the errors that occurred during these two laparoscopic cholecystectomies.”

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