Sir Liam promises 'every help' to Neale inquiry
20/06/2003

Britain's most senior doctor arrived at the Neale inquiry yesterday and told The Northern Echo he wanted to assist the work of the inquiry in every way possible.

Sir Liam Donaldson, the Government's chief medical officer, gave an exclusive interview before the inquiry into the way complaints about disgraced gynaecologist Richard Neale were handled.

"I felt that it was very important for me to come and be one of the witnesses, because I want to help in every way I can," said Prof Donaldson, who was a senior manager in the region's health service at the time the Neale scandal came to a head in the 1990s.

Asked for his comment on suggestions from former patients that there may have been an organised cover-up by health officials at the time, Prof Donaldson said: "That is for the inquiry to establish. They will be having a full look at the facts."

The inquiry was ordered by former Health Secretary Alan Milburn to look into the way the NHS handled large numbers of complaints against Neale while he worked at the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, from 1985 to 1995 and at other UK hospitals.

Neale was struck off in 2000 by the General Medical Council after allegations were proven that he had botched operations, lied to patients and altered medical records.

Prof Donaldson said patients were now much better protected than they were during Neale's era.

"In the 1980s, hardly any cases of under-performing doctors were coming to light. These days many more cases are known to us," he said.

Prof Donaldson said it was impossible to say that all risk to patients had been removed but said: "The culture has changed a great deal and we have now got a national clinical assessment authority to which cases of under-performing doctors are referred to at a very early stage."