Surgeon's victims must find £10,000
Barry Nelson
23/03/2002

Victims of bungling surgeon Richard Neale have been given only four days to come up with £10,000 if their fight for a public inquiry into the scandal is not to end in defeat.

Despite losing in the High Court last week, lawyers representing furious patients are willing to have one last crack at winning a full public inquiry into the Neale affair. But after footing the bill for the failed High Court bid, the lawyers need at least £10,000 to continue.

Unless the cash is secured by Tuesday - in time to make an application to the Court of Appeal - the campaigners will have to accept that their dream of a public inquiry is over.

"We are desperate to appeal against the High Court decision," said Sheila Wright-Hogeland, who has already spent more than £100,000 of her own money campaigning for justice.

"The legal team is also desperate to lodge an immediate appeal but as they were on a no-win, no-fee basis for the High Court hearing, they have not been paid."

Mrs Wright-Hogeland, was left sterile and injured after bungled treatment by Mr Neale, who was a gynaecologist at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, treating women from across the region.

Health Secretary Alan Milburn is only prepared to hold a private inquiry into the Neale affair and ordered Department of Health lawyers to oppose the judicial review in the High Court last week.

Campaigners feel strongly that an inquiry needs to have a wide remit, be open to the Press and public and be able to question witnesses from a wide range of organisations, including the General Medical Council.

On Wednesday, The Northern Echo exclusively revealed that the Government rejected proposals from its own lawyers when it denied patients a public inquiry into the Neale scandal.

Leaked internal documents show that Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Liam Donaldson was against a public hearing because he wanted to ensure such investigations were reserved for "the most serious cases".

The campaign group points to the 88 women Mr Neale seriously injured during his 15-year career and the other 160 women who complained about his treatment.

During the High Court hearing, the group's lawyers said as many as 70 of Mr Neale's patients may have died during his career.

Mr Neale, who lives near Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, was struck off in July 2000 after the GMC found 34 out of 35 sample allegations of unprofessional conduct proven.

They included botching operations, operating without permission and lying to patients.

Mr Neale had earlier been struck off in Canada after a patient died.

"It is so frustrating because we have come so far, but after spending so much we have to draw the line somewhere" said Mrs Wright-Hogeland.

Graham Maloney, advisor to the patient group, who has spent more than £25,000 of his own money on campaigning in the last three-and-a-half years, said: "We have been told that the case is very winnable but the stumbling block is that justice comes at a price and it is money we simply don't have."

Mr Maloney, a former businessman who has been working virtually full-time on the Neale campaign for years, added: "It is such a shame because everybody feels so strongly about a public inquiry."

Mrs Wright-Hogeland said she hoped that supporters would rally around.

"We haven't got long but we can still do it. If we have ten people putting in £1,000 each or even 20 people promising £500 we can reach the target."

If you wish to back the campaign, ring (01325) 505075 and leave your name and day-time telephone number.