Surgeon identified in botch-up case

John Harman's name suppression was lifted yesterday and his fine was cut to $5000. Photo / Herald on Sunday

A prominent surgeon whose patient was left grossly scarred after a botched breast-reduction procedure has been named.

Suppression of the identity of John Harman, who set up the St Marks Breast Centre in Auckland and Tauranga, was lifted in the High Court at Auckland yesterday.

He had sought to have it suppressed after being found guilty of negligence.

In 2002, a patient who went to Mr Harman for a breast reduction, tummy tuck and liposuction suffered a disfigured breast and necrosis infecting her stomach.

A complaint was made to the Health and Disability Commissioner and was dealt with by a five-member Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal in 2006.

The tribunal found Mr Harman guilty of not giving adequate information for informed consent.

He was fined $7500 and ordered to pay $50,000 in costs to the patient.

Court documents show the patient told him at the time that she did not want to know all the "gory details" associated with the surgical procedures. But Mr Harman accepted he did not push this issue further, a mistake on his part, the tribunal believed.

He was granted interim name suppression after he appealed to the High Court. But yesterday the suppression was lifted and his $ fine was cut to $5000.

In a statement to the Weekend Herald, Mr Harman said he deeply regretted the patient had suffered severe surgical complications. He had since apologised to her.

"Our objective as health professionals is to improve the health and wellbeing of our patients," he said.

"Surgery always carries risks, which is our job to minimise. Complications arise in about 5 per cent of operations."

As a result of the patient's ordeal and the tribunal's findings, changes had been made to St Marks' practice.

These included photographs before operations, counselling, and patients with more than one surgeon having consultations with both surgeons before their surgery.