German doctors head for home

Cataract surgery lists are low in Birmingham

An imported team of German eye doctors - billed as a solution to NHS waiting list problems - has been turned away because there was no work for them to do.

It was hoped that the team of four, from company German Medicine Net, would carry out eye operations at Birmingham City Hospital's eye centre.

This was part of a wider NHS programme aimed at driving down over-long waiting lists in various parts of the country.

Their expertise was in cataract surgery - and our waiting lists for cataract surgery are among the lowest in the country

John Adler, Birmingham City Hospital

However, after the German team arrived, it was discovered that their principal skill was in carrying out cataract surgery - a condition for which Birmingham already had extremely short waiting lists.

NHS bosses and consultants there needed help carrying out more complex operations.

Now the Germans have returned home - although it is reported that attempts are being made to send them elsewhere in the NHS.

Negotiating team

A Department of Health spokesman insisted that the team had not been actually hired to carry out 1,000 operations - as had been reported - but had simply arrived for negotiations.

He pointed out that many other teams were prospering in other parts of the NHS, and helping bring down lists.

John Adler, the chief executive of Birmingham City Hospital, said that when it had come to sorting out the details of the deal, it turned out that the Germans could not help.

He said: "Their expertise was in cataract surgery - and our waiting lists for cataract surgery are among the lowest in the country."

He said that accusations that consultants had not been keen on working with the Germans were "unfair".

"The consultants did feel that they had been doing a pretty good job driving down waiting lists."

"They were looking for some help with more complex operations, for which there are longer waiting lists."

Hans Finck, the managing director of German Medicine Net, told BBC News Online: "Our organisation was asked to bring in doctors to perform cataract operations in Birmingham City Hospital, so we brought in specialists for exactly these operations.

"At the meeting our surgeons were told that their services would probably not be required.

"A little later our organisation was requested to come up with an offer for a mixture of about 15-20 different kinds of eye operations - which would have involved numerous highly specialised German doctors.

"We immediately started identifying German specialists for these operations. These doctors have been waiting in vain for a call to come to Birmingham as we have been told in the meantime that the project is 'dead'."

"It is obvious that a lot went wrong here, but I must strongly reject any attempt to insinuate that this was the responsibility of the German doctors or ourselves."

Sent home

At the same time, a team of ear, nose and throat surgeons sent to Taunton were sent home, apparently because their command of English was not sufficiently strong.

The Department of Health said this demonstrated the quality of the "accreditation system" designed to protect patients.

The shortage of doctors is one of the key reasons why patients have to wait long periods for treatment in many specialties.

Another government initiative, headed by well-known heart surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub, is looking to bring in individual foreign surgeons to work in the NHS.

So far, the scheme has resulted in 25 appointments - 16 psychiatrists, seven pathologists and two radiologists, although other applications, particularly for cardiothoracic surgeons, are being considered.