NHS boss Sir Jim Mackey backed heart surgeon whose failures contributed to deaths

The head of NHS England backed a doctor whose failures contributed to several deaths to resume her career as a heart surgeon.

Sir Jim Mackey told the family of a patient who died following an operation carried out by Karen Booth that the consultant surgeon should be "supported" to continue working at the Freeman Hospital, in Newcastle, once she had undergone retraining.

The BBC has obtained a recording of a meeting last year with the family of the man who died. In it, he tells them Ms Booth will continue her surgical career.

An NHS investigation found problems in Ms Booth's cases included clinical errors, carrying out operations she was not skilled or experienced enough to perform, and failing to call for help when she should have.

Sir Jim became head of NHS England in April. Before that he was chief executive of the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Freeman, for 14 months.