Inquiry attacked as waste of time
07/02/2002

Lawyers for Health Secretary Alan Milburn yesterday branded a public inquiry into the activities of two struck-off doctors as "a waste of time and money".

Mr Milburn is resisting a High Court bid by victims of disgraced gynaecologist Richard Neale, to force the Government to hold a public inquiry into his behaviour.

The High Court in London is hearing a joint submission by victims of Neale and Kent GP Clifford Ayling, who was struck off after a series of indecent assaults.

Sheila Wright-Hogeland, 50, the North Yorkshire patient who heads a support group for Neale's victims, argues a public inquiry, with the Press in attendance, would encourage other potential witnesses to come forward.

But Philip Sales, for Mr Milburn, told Mr Justice Scott Baker yesterday that it was in the public interest that cheaper and more efficient private inquiries be used to address failings in the NHS.

"It is important in the interests of public health and safety that the inquiries are completed promptly and at a proportionate cost," he said.

"The more speedily inquiries are completed, the faster the secretary of state can take effective steps to seek to prevent these kinds of incidents in the future.

"The greater the cost of the inquiry process, the more limited public funds made available to the NHS will be diverted away from the stretched front line service provision, to the detriment of the health of the public," he said.

"There is evidence that comparable other inquiries, which were held in private, would have been no less comprehensive had they been held in public."

The court has heard that as many as 70 patients may have died at Neale's hands.

The North Yorkshire NHS Trust, which employed the gynaecologist before he was struck off for a string of botched operations, has disclosed that 29 patients died under his care during his time at the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton.

However, Mr Sales said in his written submissions that, as well as saving money, private inquiries were more efficient and effective.

"Whilst public inquiries may be better at allowing those who have suffered to air their grievances, private inquiries are generally better at bringing about a speedy, targeted and cost-effective improvement to the agencies under investigation," he said.

"It is important to encourage all those giving evidence, not merely the victims, to be as open and frank as possible. Recent experience suggests that this may be better achieved if evidence is not given in public session.

"The absence of the Press tends to encourage witnesses to speak more freely."

The hearing continues today.