BBC actress left in 'chronic pain' as Salford spinal surgeon probed over patients' treatment

A BBC actress has revealed she's been left with 'chronic pain and fatigue' after years of operations by a spinal surgeon whose work is now under investigation. Ruth Madeley, 36, appeared in the Russell T Davies sci-fi series Years and Years and the TV drama Then Barbara Met Alan.

An inquiry has been launched into the now former Salford Royal Hospital consultant spinal surgeon, John Bradley Williamson, and his treatment of a number of his patients. The surgeon, 65, was sacked from the trust in January 2015 following inappropriate behaviour towards a member of staff, reported the Sunday Times.

Mr Williamson has admitted 'his personal actions were inappropriate'. A number of his former patients have been recalled in the last month for an assessment by surgeons at the Northern Care Alliance Trust, which now runs the hospital.

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They include Ms Madeley, who was diagnosed with spina bifida as a baby and first operated on by Mr Williamson in 1997, aged 11. Ms Madeley, from Bolton, told the Sunday Times she has been left with 'chronic pain and a twisted body after nine operations to treat her scoliosis, or curvature of the spine'.

Rods inserted to straighten her spine 'snapped three times and she also developed repeat infections, including sepsis after being sent home from hospital with an open wound in 2012', it is alleged. Ruth and her mother, Jacquie Madeley, believe the trust has not been honest about her treatment.

Ruth said: “Instead of one surgery it turned into nine throughout my teenage years and young adulthood. None of my operations were elective, they were all to fix something that went wrong.

“I have