MP to demand inquiry into medical scandal
Barry Nelson
26/02/2002

A North-East MP will use an adjournment debate in the House of Commons today to call for an inquiry into a North-East medical scandal.

Gateshead MP Joyce Quin wants to know why complaints against senior medical staff at the town's Queen Elizabeth Hospital went unheeded for so long.

Earlier this month, Richmond MP William Hague used an adjournment debate to call for a public inquiry into another medical scandal, the case of disgraced North Yorkshire gynaecologist Richard Neale.

Last year, Mr Peter Silverstone, 58, and Dr Janusz Wszeborowski, 67, were struck off by the General Medical Council (GMC) after being found guilty of professional misconduct.

Women patients, who claim their complaints against both men have never been properly aired, want to see a full-scale public inquiry into the scandal.

"I have been struck by the numbers of complainants and the harrowing nature of their experiences," said Mrs Quin.

More than 80 people contacted a helpline set up by the Queen Elizabeth Hospital last summer.

"Both doctors have been struck off, but what is frustrating for the women, particularly with Mr Silverstone, is that their cases were not looked at by the GMC because they had already decided to strike him off in two other cases which concerned circumcisions," the MP added.

Mr Silverstone was struck off after he left two baby boys in agony after failing to anaesthetise them properly.

Dr Wszeborowski was struck off after his "gross insensitivity" towards three women during childbirth.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "The situation concerning Dr Wszeborowski and Mr Silverstone has been investigated thoroughly by the trust, complaints have been followed up and remedies offered to the women affected. Where there were shortcomings in the way that the service was provided, these have been rectified.

"New national legislation is also being introduced to ensure that patients are protected."