A hospital has permanently stopped specialist keyhole surgery after five cancer patients died from avoidable complications . The Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust halted upper gastrointestinal ( GI ) operations for throat and stomach cancer patients last year . It came after an internal review found the deaths of five patients between 2012 and 2013 could have been avoided . Patients requiring the surgery were referred to St Thomas ' Hospital in London for a period of 12 months . But the Kent trust has now said the decision to stop the operations at the hospital will be permanent . Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust said a decision to refer upper gastrointestinal operations for throat and stomach cancer patients to St Thomas ' in London , taken last year , will be a permanent move . Medical director Paul Sigston said : 'The trust will not be resuming upper GI cancer resection surgery , but diagnostic work and cancer treatment will continue to take place locally at both Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals . 'Major upper GI cancer surgery will not be carried out at MTW and we are currently working with our NHS partners to plan the long-term strategy for patients needing this kind of treatment . ' The service was given a high-profile launch in 2010 and included the opportunity for consultants and trainees to watch on screen at a lecture theatre next door . But subsequent investigations found more than 30 per cent of patients who underwent the surgery developed complications . The trust initially suspended operations in December 2012 following two deaths and resumed in January 2013 before three more fatalities forced them to stop again . A report by the Royal College of Surgeons last May concluded that surgeons at Maidstone Hospital were unable to provide a safe service . Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust admitted potentially avoidable complications could have contributed to the five deaths between 2012 and 2013 . Three surgeons were barred from carrying out the procedures , but all have been allowed to continue doing general surgery . The decision came after an internal review found the deaths of five patients between 2012 and 2013 could have been avoided . The report says the team was ‘ dysfunctional ’ , their working practices were ‘ secretive ’ , and they had a ‘ difficult ’ relationship with anaesthetists . It found there was a high rate of complications associated with the keyhole techniques , and that after care for patients was poor . Speaking last May , Dr Sigston , medical director of the trust , said : ‘ I would again like to apologise to the families involved. ’ The incidents were referred to the General Medical Council and the trust also conducted its own internal inquiry while procedures were suspended . Sharon Lam , from Thomson Snell and Passmore solicitors , represents the families of the five patients who died and said they welcomed the decision not to resume surgery . She said : 'If they have any doubt as to their ability to deliver a safe service to the patients then that must be a correct decision . '
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust halted surgery between 2012 and 2013 . Upper gastrointestinal ( GI ) operations referred to St Thomas ' Hospital . Came after internal review found 5 patients died of avoidable complications . Kent trust has now said decision to stop surgery will be a permanent one .