A law firm has said several former patients of a disgraced surgeon have come forward demanding to know whether they were properly treated.

Neil Hopper, a consultant vascular surgeon at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, was jailed for 32 months yesterday in relation to a £466,000 insurance fraud.

Hopper had both legs amputated after claiming that he had developed sepsis, but Truro Crown Court heard that he had inflicted the injuries on himself by placing his legs into a mixture of ice and dry ice.

Prosecutors showed Hopper had a sexual fetish linked to amputation through payments made to a website which sold videos of body modification. The site has since been shut down.

Richard Parkhouse of the Crown Prosecution Service said following the sentence: ‘In his communications with the owner of the website, the truth about Hopper’s own injuries was revealed: that the damage that led to his double leg amputations had been self-inflicted. Hopper failed to disclose this fact when making two insurance claims for his injuries, and fraudulently pocketed almost half a million pounds.’

The surgeon performed amputations as part of his role at the Royal Cornwall and was employed by the hospital from 2013 until his arrest in March 2023. He has been suspended from the medical register since December 2023.

The hospital has said the criminal charges did not relate to Hopper’s professional conduct, but former patients have approached serious injury firm Enable Law with concerns about treatment they received.

Partner Mike Bird, based in Truro, is now leading a team of solicitors to support these individuals. ‘The fact Neil Hopper faced very serious criminal charges relating to fraud and GBH has caused shock and grave concern among his former patients,’ said. Bird. ‘Some have had life-changing surgery and are now worried it was not really needed.’ In situations of this nature, there has to be a proper independent investigation, conducted openly and transparently.’

The hospital trust said it had carried out comprehensive clinical reviews of surgery carried out by Hopper including all decisions to operate. It added: ‘We want to reassure the public that our exhaustive investigations have found no evidence whatsoever to indicate any risk or harm to patients at our hospitals.’

Hopper also pleaded guilty at Truro Crown Court to two counts of fraud by false representation and three counts of possession of extreme pornographic images.