A criminal investigation has been launched after the deaths of several patients who underwent aortic valve procedures between 2019 and 2023. 

Humberside Police has launched a criminal investigation into cardiac care at Castle Hill Hospital in Hull, managed by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. This follows concerns about the deaths of several patients who underwent aortic valve procedures between 2019 and 2023.

The police investigation follows a series of internal reviews, whistleblowing by NHS staff, and a recent BBC News report, which showed that the hospital’s mortality rate for the transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedure was three times higher than the national average during that period.

“As a firm, we have been investigating concerns around TAVI procedures, and deaths at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, for the past five years,” said Neil Hudgell, executive chairman of Hudgell Solicitors. The firm represented Thanjavur Bragadeesh, a former clinical director of the cardiac unit at the hospital who had raised concerns over the death of a patient who suffered a significant tear in her femoral artery, a major blood vessel, and died, following a TAVI procedure.

Castle Hill Hospital has also been rated as “inadequate” in its most recent report on the hospital’s emergency and urgent care, medicine and surgery departments by the Care Quality Commission in 2023. 

Not just numbers

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) was invited by the Trust in 2023 to review the deaths of 11 patients – seven women and four men – who had undergone a TAVI procedure. The findings of that review, which were presented to the Trust in February 2024, were that poor levels of care were provided in six cases, one of which was described as “very poor”.

One man’s valve was misplaced, and death certificates for several patients were incomplete or inaccurate. Avoidable complications tied to inexperience raised serious concerns about patient safety and quality of care.

“These aren’t just numbers, they are mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters that are lost. Families deserve answers, justice, and hope amid tragedy. Our thoughts are with the families who have been affected,” said Sharado Parbhoo, consultant paralegal at Moosa-Duke Solicitors.  

Humberside Police has said that the investigation is at an early stage.