Joint public statement regarding Professor Marjan Jahangiri, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon
In May 2022, Professor Jahangiri issued proceedings in the Employment Tribunal against St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (the Trust) and Dr Richard Jennings (Group Chief Medical Officer) for alleged whistleblowing detriments in respect of certain matters arising out of the Independent Mortality Review of Cardiac Surgery at the Trust (IMR) which was commissioned by NHS Improvement in November 2018. In connection with the IMR and at the request of NHS England-London, in 2020 Dr Jennings (on behalf of the Trust) referred Professor Jahangiri to the GMC. At or around the same time, HM Senior Coroner for Inner West London, Professor Fiona Wilcox considered 21 of Professor Jahangiri’s cases, also in connection with the IMR.
On 6 December 2021, the GMC closed their investigation into Professor Jahangiri with no further action being taken. The GMC concluded that that they had “not seen anything that could potentially call Professor Jahangiri’s fitness to practice into question” and that they “were unable to identify any issues that would need us to open a GMC investigation”. Further, the Senior Coroner has identified no failings of care by Professor Jahangiri in inquests relating to her patients or otherwise, and to the contrary, has praised the care given by Professor Jahangiri.
The Trust acknowledges the important contribution Professor Jahangiri has made to cardiac surgery at St George’s Hospital. She has helped to build the cardiac unit and has been instrumental in training other cardiac surgeons.
The Trust and Dr Jennings acknowledge the distress caused to Professor Jahangiri in connection with these matters. The Trust recognises how stressful and difficult these events have been for Professor Jahangiri. The Trust is committed to supporting our staff as much as possible in difficult situations such as these, and will apply any learning to support all its staff. The Trust looks forward to having a constructive working relationship with Professor Jahangiri.
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Richard Jennings, Group Chief Medical Officer
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