Joint public statement regarding Professor Marjan Jahangiri, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon
In August 2018, Professor Jahangiri was excluded from attending the cardiac surgery unit of the Trust, in connection with a commissioned review about the working relationships in the cardiac surgery unit. The exclusion did not relate to patient safety concerns or to Professor Jahangiri’s skills or competence.
In excluding Professor Jahangiri, the Trust accepts that it failed to correctly follow its internal procedures. On 28 August 2018, following an interim injunction hearing at the High Court on 24 August 2018, Mr Justice Nicklin handed down his judgment on the interim proceedings, that Professor Jahangiri’s exclusions were unlawful and issuing her with an interim injunction requiring the Trust to lift the exclusions. In compliance with the court order, the Trust immediately lifted the exclusion.
The Trust confirms that the commissioned review was completed and that after detailed consideration it decided that it did not enable it to resolve its concerns about working relationships within the cardiac surgery unit. Further, in light of concerns being raised about the review it was decided to set aside its findings and take no further action in respect of it. The Trust is resolving issues within the cardiac surgery unit through the appointment of Steven Livesey, an experienced cardiac surgery specialist, to lead the cardiac service. Professor Jahangiri welcomes the involvement of Mr Livesey and looks forward to working with him.
The Trust commends Professor Jahangiri’s long-standing commitment and dedication to the cardiac surgery service and to patients. She has helped build the unit and has been instrumental in training many other cardiac surgeons. Professor Jahangiri is the aortic lead at the Trust and she plays an important role in research within the cardiac surgery unit. In 2018, Professor Jahangiri was awarded the BMJ Clinical Leadership Team award and was one of three finalists for the Silver Scalpel Award for training excellence at the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Association of Surgeons in Training.
The Trust apologises to Professor Jahangiri for excluding her, for the subsequent interim proceedings in the High Court, and the distress that this caused her. Professor Jahangiri and the Trust have entered into a private settlement in relation to these matters, the terms of which are confidential.
The Trust has taken steps to learn from these events to ensure that this does not happen to any other member of staff.
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Professor Marjan Jahangiri
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