A hospital consultant at Royal Berkshire Hospital has been referred to the General Medical Council (GMC) after the deaths of three patients.
Colorectal surgeon Daniel McGrath ceased performing operations shortly after a procedure on Lorraine Parker, aged 52, in January 2024.
Senior Berkshire Coroner Heidi Connor confirmed concerns had been raised with the GMC regarding Mr McGrath’s practice.
The hospital has stated that Mr McGrath has not carried out surgical duties for the past 10 months but continues to see outpatients.
Mrs Parker, who worked as a childminder, died in March 2024 after suffering complications when a surgical join leaked and was not diagnosed or managed in time, according to the inquest.
Independent medical experts were critical of the aftercare provided, although they noted that the surgery itself was not at fault.
In a Prevention of Future Deaths Report, Ms Connor revealed that Mrs Parker was the third patient to die within three months following surgery conducted by Mr McGrath.
One of the previous cases involved Michael Edwards, who passed away in December 2023 after a serious surgical error in which healthy bowel tissue was removed instead of a cancerous section. Despite this, an internal review rated Mr Edwards’ care as either good or excellent.
Ms Connor also pointed out that, in the case of Mrs Parker, the hospital identified no learning points after reviewing her death. A third patient was reported to have died in March 2024, further deepening concerns about surgical safety.
During Mrs Parker’s inquest, the coroner criticised Mr McGrath’s lack of reflection on the outcomes of his patients. She noted little acceptance of the issues and criticisms highlighted by multiple independent experts.
Ms Connor expressed significant concerns about the risk of future deaths if Mr McGrath were to resume operating, either at Royal Berkshire Hospital or elsewhere.
The referral to the GMC marks the first time Ms Connor has ever referred an individual in her career as a coroner.
She added that although Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust had placed certain conditions on Mr McGrath’s return to surgery, the possibility of him operating again remained open.
A spokesperson for Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust said the organisation extended its sincerest condolences to Mrs Parker’s family. They confirmed that Mr McGrath stopped performing surgeries 10 months ago and that his current outpatient-only duties are closely monitored. The trust also reaffirmed its commitment to providing safe, high-quality patient care under strict protocols.
In a related incident, Mr McGrath was ordered in 2024 to pay £1.2 million towards damages and legal costs following the death of another patient, Simon Healey, at Berkshire Independent Hospital in Reading.
