Spire Washington patient speaks over surgeon Leslie Irwin

David Render underwent numerous procedures carried out by consultant orthopaedic surgeon Leslie Irwin between 2018 and 2022.

Mr Irwin practised at Spire Washington Hospital and Sunderland Royal Hospital during that period.

David said several procedures were often carried out during a single operation, leaving him at times unsure “exactly what had been done”.

David Render (Image: SUPPLIED)

On two occasions, he claims screws were left protruding from his fingers following surgery, requiring emergency removal.

He first sought medical treatment in 2017 after damaging his wrists in a fall.

Initially treated by another surgeon, he was referred to Mr Irwin the following year.

Over the next four years, he underwent repeated operations at Spire Washington Hospital on his wrists, fingers and elbows, including extensive tendon and ligament surgery.

Since then, David, from Washington, says he has struggled with daily life.

Leslie Irwin (Image: SUPPLIED)

Once a keen photographer, he has been unable to return fully to his hobby and says ongoing pain and restricted movement in his arms make everyday tasks difficult.

He also believes the physical and emotional toll of repeated procedures contributed to the breakdown of his marriage.

Although he regarded Mr Irwin, who has since been banned from practising by Spire, as his “saviour”, David was contacted unexpectedly last year by Spire Washington Hospital, raising concerns about some of the procedures he had undergone.

Following an investigation into Mr Irwin’s work, Spire acknowledged there had been “no clinical indication” for at least one of David’s operations.

Sunderland Royal Hospital (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Concerns were also raised about the standard of surgery, including the use of a thermal wand, described as a technique not accepted practice, which caused damage to his wrist.

“I honestly thought Mr Irwin was amazing, I worshipped him,” David said.

“I believed things would have been far worse without all the operations he carried out.

“When he did several procedures in one go, I thought he was saving time and money, and I trusted him completely to fix what was wrong.

“But knowing what I know now, it feels very different. It has been such a shock, especially as nothing has actually been put right despite all those operations.

“When Spire contacted me, I assumed it was routine. Finding out what had happened made me very angry. I thought he was a brilliant surgeon and a lovely man. To discover there are so many others affected is awful.”

Mr Irwin who worked for the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust between 2001 and 2023, retired in 2022, but a selection of his patients have been contacted directly by Spire over potential issues with his work. 

Mr Irwin relinquished his role with the General Medical Council (GMC) in May 2025. 

Spire Healthcare suspended Mr Irwin in August 2023 and withdrew his practising privileges in September 2024.

Spire Hospital in Washington (Image: Stuart Boulton)

The private practice started recalling patients who were operated on by Mr Irwin during his time at Spire Washington Hospital in the summer of 2025.

The South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust said that it had “liaised with Spire to understand the scale of their patient recall and to help inform our next steps as a Trust”.

A spokesperson for the Trust added: “We are currently working through the details of which patients we may need to review and will contact those people directly and as a matter of priority.”

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) confirmed that it inspected Spire Washington Hospital in October last year after concerns were raised with it, and would be publishing its findings in due course.

Mr Render said he had always believed he was receiving the best possible care and, even after the incidents involving screws protruding from his fingers, would “never have dreamed of complaining”.

“Had Spire not contacted me, I would never have known,” he said.

“I would have assumed this was the best outcome I could expect after my accident. I am grateful for their openness and transparency.

“But there are still so many questions, for me and for other patients and for me. We need to understand what happened and why things have gone so terribly wrong.”

David is being supported by law firm Slater and Gordon, which has been investigating cases involving Mr Irwin for several months. An increasing number of former patients are said to have come forward.

Ayesha Hussain, a clinical negligence solicitor representing David, said: “David placed his full trust in his surgeon, as any patient would, believing he was receiving the highest standard of care.

“To discover that this may have fallen significantly short has been devastating for him, particularly given the regard in which he held his doctor.

“He is entitled to answers about what happened and why, and we will support him in seeking those answers.

“This is an extremely concerning situation, and we are hearing from a significant number of people with similar concerns. We would urge anyone worried about their treatment to come forward.”

Spire Washington says they have been in touch with patients and are reviewing specific procedures undertaken by Mr Irwin. 

A Spire spokesperson previously said: “We are currently reviewing specific procedures that were provided to a select cohort of patients of Mr Leslie Irwin, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon who previously practised at Spire Washington Hospital. 

“We are in direct contact with all relevant patients to review their care and offer support. 

“The review is being run in accordance with NHS England’s National Quality Board: Recall Framework, which Spire Healthcare helped to develop.” 

Mr Irwin has not responded to requests for comment by The Northern Echo.