Disappointment over Neale report inquiry delay
By Echo Staff
02/03/04

VICTIMS of disgraced surgeon Richard Neale have reacted angrily to news that the inquiry report has been delayed again.

Officials running the inquiry into the former Northallerton gynaecologist had hoped to hand over the completed report before the end of last year.

But The Northern Echo discovered that there is still no firm date for handing over the report to Health Secretary Dr John Reid.

Hundreds of women complained about the former surgeon at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, who was struck off in 2000 for botching a string of operations and lying to patients.

Irene Stewart, secretary of the Action and Support Group for Medical Victims of Richard Neale, said: "It is very disappointing. We thought we would have something published by now.

"The way things are going we are probably going to reach the first anniversary since the inquiry started."

The inquiry into how the NHS handled the large number of complaints against Mr Neale when the surgeon worked at the Friarage was ordered by Dr Reid's predecessor, Darlington MP Alan Milburn, three years ago.

Inquiry members sat through three months of evidence in York in May last year and heard from independent experts last September at a resumed hearing in London.

Yesterday, Colin Phillips, secretary to the Neale inquiry, said: "While we were drafting the report we had to check some material which we have had from one of the witnesses. That has held things up a little bit. We are definitely looking to hand the report over to the Health Secretary during March."

Mr Phillips stressed that compared to other independent inquiries, the time taken to finish the Neale report was "about average".