James Elwood

James Stanley Elwood (c. December 1921 – 13 December 2021) was a British pathologist who was responsible for 222 cancer misdiagnoses between 1995 and 2000.[1][2][3] During the period concerned he was practising as a locum at four NHS trusts: the Princess Margaret Hospital in Swindon, the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust, the Mid-Sussex NHS Trust and the Frimley Park Hospitals NHS Trust. He also worked in Tralee.[4]

Among the patients who received faulty diagnoses was archaeologist Carenza Lewis, who later spoke publicly about the consequences of the resulting unnecessary surgery.[5] Elwood was not subject to any disciplinary procedures, having removed his name from the British medical register. He initially refused to co-operate with the investigation of his misdiagnoses by not divulging the details of his medical career.[6]

Elwood graduated with bachelor's degrees in medicine, surgery and obstetrics (MB BCh BAO) with second class honours from the Queen's University of Belfast in 1943.[6] He proceeded to a doctorate (MD) in 1947 with a thesis titled "A study of the incidence and aetiology of pulmonary complications following anaesthesia and surgical operations."[7] He obtained a diploma in clinical pathology (DCP) from the University of London in 1947, a diploma in pathology (DPath) from the Conjoint Board for England in 1952, and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath) in 1966. The Medical Directory for 2007 lists him as having previously been a civilian consultant pathologist at the Cambridge Military Hospital at Aldershot. [8] [9]

Elwood died in Gloucestershire on 13 December 2021.[10][11]