WOMEN have until November this year if they want to join the group action to pursue claims against the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust in respect of former consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician Rob Jones.

More than 160 women have now signed up with law firm Foot Anstey to be part of the group action against the trust in relation to the former consultant, who practised at the Trust between 1992 and 2012.

The Trust and Foot Anstey have agreed a protocol to simplify the process for women who believe they have a claim. The protocol allows an independent assessment of the standard of medical treatment provided by Mr Jones to individual patients. It is available at no cost to any patient he treated throughout the 20-year period he worked for RCHT. If his treatment is found not to have reached the required standard and to have caused injury, then compensation will be paid.

The protocol process is free to join for anyone affected. But claims must be registered before November 1 2015, when the group officially closes.

Mr Jones was suspended from his role in May 2012 following a report from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. He retired in late 2012, when he also removed his name from the GMC register. However, over his two decades of practice there had been repeated concerns expressed and several investigations.

After he retired the Trust announced concerns over the consultant’s professional capabilities, commissioned its own reports, and invited former patients to contact them if they were worried.

The Trust also reviewed the medical records of about 2,300 women who had been his patients between mid-2010 and November 2012. Some patients were also recalled for examinations in the wake of the report.

However Mr Jones treated many more women during his two-decade tenure at RCHT, both at Treliske and at outpatient clinics at St Austell’s Penrice Hospital. Not only was Mr Jones an obstetrician managing pregnancies and deliveries, but he also treated women for general gynaecology complaints, performed surgery for prolapse and hysterectomy, and also cancer investigations.

Mr Jones was Treliske’s clinical director in obstetrics and gynaecology from 1997-2001, was colposcopy lead in 2007/8 and in August 2010 he notably delivered Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha’s daughter, Florence, while they were on holiday in the county.

Mike Bird, the Foot Anstey partner heading the group action, said: “Although more than 160 women have come forward already, there could be many more who have not yet been in contact with us regarding any concerns about their treatment by Rob Jones. Many may choose not to, but we would like to ensure that everybody who is eligible to join the group action is aware of the investigation scheme and November deadline.

“Although this is clearly an incredibly sensitive subject, going through the process has been very helpful to many women. It has started to give them answers to questions that, in some cases, have been outstanding for a decade or more.

“Many women who had problems after treatment have told me they were left feeling that they were ‘the only one’. We now know that this is far from true. Many former patients have put up with embarrassing and worrying personal problems, including bladder and bowel symptoms, for many years.

“It is about getting answers for women and, where it is shown that individuals have suffered injury as a result of Mr Jones’ work not meeting the required standard, we will seek appropriate levels of compensation.”

“In the first instance former patients of Mr Jones who believe they may have cause to join the group action can call our team and arrange to come in for an initial chat. Everything is, of course, confidential, and people can choose to speak either to me or to a female team member.

“We have also helped to establish support groups for former patients. Some women may prefer to make contact directly with others who have been in a similar situation, or who have already been through this legal process.”

Mr Bird said the Trust had acted quickly and responsibly in 2012 to improve its service to the people of Cornwall - while historically the previous Trust management had not adequately addressed concerns about Mr Jones’ work.

In 2012 RCHT management had acted swiftly to arrange the RCOG investigation and follow its recommendations, and had launched its own investigations to work out why more action had not been taken when concerns had been raised earlier. The Trust had made a full and unreserved apology to former patients, as well as engaging co-operatively with the group action.

To contact the Foot Anstey team telephone 01872 243352 or 0800 6940441 or email mike.bird@footanstey.com

To make contact with the support group, contact katy.wood@footanstey.com or telephone 01872 246610.