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MEDICAL

Swedish doc could be charged for ‘fatal’ UK op

A Swedish plastic surgeon may face a criminal investigation in the UK after the wife of a famous footballer died last week from complications attributed to a bungled 2002 liposuction treatment.

The surgeon, Gustaf Aniansson, who has also been accused of incompetence by more than a dozen other former patients in the United Kingdom, continues to practice in Sweden at the prestigious Nackakliniken near Stockholm, according to Sky News.

Last week, 43-year-old Denise Hendry, wife of former Scotland football captain and Blackburn Rangers star Colin Hendry, died of complications stemming from an operation originally carried out by Aniansson seven years earlier at Broughton Park Hospital near Preston, England.

Hendry’s family finally decided to shut off life support after Hendry failed to come out of a coma after 11 weeks.

She lost consciouness due to an infection which arose during what doctors at the Salford Royal Hospital had hoped would be the final phase of her extended recovery after her bowel and colon were pierced nine times during the surgery performed by Aniansson, The Daily Mail reports.

“There is no doubt that Mrs. Hendry underwent surgery at Salford because of what happened to her at the Preston hospital,” a senior Lancashire police officer told the newspaper.

“If a direct link can be made with the original surgery you can be looking at a manslaughter inquiry. There is no time limit on such an investigation. Gross negligence would result in such a charge being laid.”

Hendry almost didn’t make it off the operating table following the original procedure in April 2002, suffering from blood poisoning, kidney failure, a heart attack, and a collapsed lung as a result of the intestinal punctures.

“Complications are regrettable, but you get used to them. I had done 500 similar operations before without any problems but this time it went wrong,” Aniansson said in 2003, according to The Daily Mail.

“It’s tragic but you learn and it is possible to move on. This is a difficult job. There are risks.”

According to Sky News, Aniansson had himself removed from the British medical register in 2003, ending his ability to practice medicine in the UK, and also allowing him to avoid a public hearing into his alleged mistakes.

As a result, the British General Medical Council (GMC) never issued a warning about Aniansson, paving the way for the Swedish surgeon to continue practising in his home country.

In just over a year of working in Sweden, Aniansson has already been the subject of five complaints, although medical authorities have so far only taken action in one of the cases, sending him a “notice letter”, which is less serious than a formal reprimand.

The latest complaint, issued in March of 2009, is still under investigation, according to Sky News.

Attempts by The Local to contact Aniansson and his current clinic for comment on Tuesday were unsuccessful.

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FOOTBALL

‘No exceptions’: Italy and UK warn England fans against travel to Rome for Euro quarter final

The Italian government on Wednesday reminded England fans not to travel to Rome for Saturday's Euro 2020 quarter final match against Ukraine amid ongoing coronavirus travel restrictions.

‘No exceptions’: Italy and UK warn England fans against travel to Rome for Euro quarter final
Photo: Oli Scarff/AFP

Italy is expected to increase checks and strictly enforce its quarantine rules amid concerns that thousands of people could arrive in Rome from the UK for the match despite the country’s travel restrictions.

All arrivals in Italy from the UK have to quarantine for five days and take two coronavirus tests under current health measures – but there are reportedly concerns that some fans will be unaware of the rules.

EXPLAINED: How has Italy changed its rules on travel from the UK? 

“I am clear and unequivocal – the English fans will not be able to come to Italy to watch the match at the Olimpico against Ukraine on July 3rd,” Andrea Costa, a junior Italian health minister, told Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli on Wednesday.

“There are five days of quarantine, the rule must be respected. We cannot take risks. If an English fan leaves today, he won’t see the game. Same for those who left yesterday.”

The Italian Embassy in London also said in posts on its social media channels on Wednesday that “Fans travelling to Euro 2020 matches are not exempted” from Italy’s quarantine rules.

Meanwhile, UK Trade Minister Anne Marie Trevelyan said: “our request is to support the national team from your home, to cheer in front of the TV as loud as you can”.

Italy’s Interior Ministry is reportedly planning to step up police checks at airports and train stations and road checkpoints in case fans attempt to travel, Italian news agency Ansa reports.

Ansa cited government sources who said the quarantine rules “will be enforced to the letter” and “no exceptions will be granted”.

Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS/POOL/AFP
 
England fans living in Italy on Wednesday were scrambling to buy tickets for the match after the FA stated that it aimed to “facilitate as many ticket sales to English residents in Italy as possible” while fans in the UK were unable to travel.

Dozens of readers contacted The Local on Wednesday asking where they could get tickets, after UK media reports stated that the British Embassy would be distributing them.

The FA had stated that it was “working with Uefa and the British embassy in Italy” to facilitate sales.

However, the British Embassy in Rome confirmed to The Local on Wednesday morning that it “is not selling or distributing tickets for the match on Saturday in Rome”.

READ ALSO: Bars, house parties and fan zones: Where and how can you watch Euro 2020 matches in Italy?

The British Embassy said in a statement to The Local: “Under the UK Government’s traffic light system Italy is currently listed as an amber country.

“The UK Government’s travel advice clearly states that fans should not travel to red and amber countries to protect public health in the UK from new Covid variants.

“The Italian authorities are responsible for setting and enforcing the rules for entry into Italy. Its current guidance states that from June 21st, people travelling from the UK or those who have been in the UK in the previous 14 days must self-isolate for 5 days upon arrival in Italy, after which they must take a rapid antigenic or molecular swab test for Covid-19 and test negative for release.

“This means that fans travelling from the UK to Italy after June 28th will not arrive in time to be able to watch the Euro 2020 quarter-final in Rome on July 3rd 2021.”

Britain is experiencing a surge in new coronavirus cases, blamed on the Delta variant that was first detected in India.

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