THE Government's Chief Medical Officer says patients are much better protected now against under-performing doctors than during Richard Neale's days at a North Yorkshire hospital.
Sir Liam Donaldson was speaking before giving evidence in York at the inquiry into the way the NHS handled complaints against the disgraced consultant gynaecologist. Neale was struck off in 2000 for botching operations at hospitals including the Friarage in Northallerton, where he worked between 1985 and 1995.
The inquiry at the Hilton Hotel is being held in private, but Sir Liam, who was a senior manager in the region's health service at the time Neale was working in North Yorkshire, told reporters beforehand that he wanted to assist in every way. He said the inquiry would need to establish whether there was an organised cover-up by health officials at the time Neale was at the Friarage.
Updated: 10:51 Friday, June 20, 2003
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