Three people died and 12 others suffered permanent or long-term harm while under the care of a consultant who gave outdated and incorrect medical advice, a review has found. Dr Veronica Varney, a consultant at St Helier Hospital in south London, told patients with lung disorders to avoid the flu jab and rapeseed oil, and failed to provide evidence-based treatments.
Review findings: 28 cases examined
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) investigated 28 cases treated by Dr Varney between 2019 and 2022. The review found that she frequently recommended off-label treatments and gave non-evidence-based advice, including telling patients not to get vaccinated against flu or Covid-19. Three patients died because they did not have access to treatments that could have extended their lives, according to the investigation.
In one case, there was a two-year delay in a patient receiving immunosuppression treatment, and appropriate therapy was not started until complications had developed. Another patient was told their symptoms were due to poor fitness and was given dietary advice instead of treatment. A further patient was not referred to a specialist multidisciplinary team meeting for a year, leading to "missed opportunities for earlier intervention."
Permanent harm and missed treatments
The review identified that 12 patients suffered permanent or long-term harm, while seven cases did not receive treatments that could have improved their quality of life or required further procedures. Dr Varney was let go by St George's, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group (Gesh) in 2023 and referred to the General Medical Council.
Dr Richard Jennings, group chief medical officer at Gesh, said: "I offer my sincere apologies to our patients and their families for the harm this has caused – the care they received fell far below what should have been given. While the Royal College of Physicians' report makes it clear that patients were significantly harmed, it also expresses confidence in the changes we had already made to make the service safe, and we have accepted and acted on all of their recommendations."
Ongoing investigation and future reviews
Gesh will review the care given to all ILD patients treated by Dr Varney from 2019, a process expected to take 12 months to two years. Dr Varney remains under investigation by the General Medical Council and has restrictions on her practice while this process is ongoing.
