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Nigella's 'force for good' breast cancer surgeon on 19 fraud charges
Last updated at 22:37pm on 13.10.07One of Britain's most eminent cancer surgeons is to appear in court this month charged with systematic fraud over operations at London's renowned Royal Marsden Hospital.
Nigel Sacks has a worldwide reputation for treating breast cancer and former patients include the TV cook Nigella Lawson, who saw him for regular screening. Last week she described him as a 'force for good'.
But as well as facing 19 charges of false accounting he is being sued by health insurance giant AXA PPP for an estimated £200,000 over alleged discrepancies between invoices he submitted and the medical records of private patients.
Surgeon to the stars: Nigel Sacks is a specialist in breast cancer
The case against the 50-year-old consultant is believed to be the first involving criminal charges brought by the NHS fraud team.
Mr Sacks is said to be devastated. He also recently coped with the deaths from cancer of both his parents and the stress of his wife Annette having multiple sclerosis.
Australian-born Mr Sacks is popular with patients because he trained as a plastic surgeon before becoming a cancer specialist, enabling him to oversee breast reconstructions as well as carrying out mastectomies.
His other famous patients included Paul Merton's wife Sarah Parkinson, who died in 2003, and Linda McCartney, who lost her breast-cancer battle in 1998.
Mr Sacks is said to be charming and has been a favourite at fashionable charity events.
Screening: Celebrity cook Nigella Lawson praised Mr Sacks
'However busy he was, he would always find time to come to your bedside and check up on you personally,' said one former patient.
In 2005 AXA PPP began to investigate alleged financial irregularities in connection to private health insurance bills. Mr Sacks was at first suspended from the Marsden and later worked at an Edinburgh hospital.
Last week AXA instructed its legal department to initiate proceedings against him.
AXA PPP's Medical Director Dr David Costain said: 'It is highly unusual for us to sue a doctor in a civil matter.' Dr Costain said AXA looked at hospital records and compared them with Mr Sacks's handwritten invoices.
'We do get a number of complaints and we investigate them all,' said Dr Costain.
'In the last year we have had a discussion about overcharging with at least 20 doctors and come to an arrangement over repayment.'
Mr Sacks's legal team say he has considerable support from wellwishers.
Mr Sacks said: 'This is a nightmare that never stops. My wife is ill and when my parents died that brought me to a crossroads. It is ripping my family apart and I have children to worry about.'
He has been reported to the General Medical Council and taken off the insurer's list of recommended doctors. But he remains on the GMC's register and is free to practise.
