HEALTH Secretary John Reid today admitted that the NHS failed many patients of disgraced North Yorkshire doctor Richard Neale.

Dr Reid spoke out following the publication of the report of an inquiry into the way the health service handled complaints against the consultant gynaecologist, who botched operations while working at Northallerton's Friarage Hospital between 1985 and 1995.

Neale, of Langthorpe, near Boroughbridge, was given the job at the Friarage despite having been struck-off in Canada for incompetence.

He was struck off by the British General Medical Council (GMC) in 2000 after being found guilty of professional misconduct.

Today's report, which branded Neale "arrogant and overbearing", called for the establishment of a new organisation to oversee the appointment of doctors.

It also said checks should be made as standard on all doctors appointed from overseas.

Dr Reid said: "All patients have the right to expect a high standard of care from clinicians.

"Richard Neale fell short of these standards and as a result caused the patients in his care unnecessary distress.

"The NHS failed many of Richard Neale's former patients.

"The inquiry has provided the opportunity not only for their voices to be heard, but also to ensure that their experiences will help strengthen the systems now in place to try to prevent similar incidents in the future."

He said Neale had been employed in North Yorkshire "without a proper understanding of his background."

"Complacency permitted him to continue practising in spite of concerns being raised about him."

He said many changes had been made in the NHS, but added: "We are not complacent and we recognise the need for further improvements."

The report condemned Northallerton Health Services NHS Trust for giving Neale "misleading" references to hand to future employers.

It said: "The trust's judgement was poor in its assessment of its duty to Richard Neale, its duty to future employers of Richard Neale and perhaps even more importantly, its duty to future patients of Richard Neale."

The 376-page Neale Report had 27 conclusions, many of them focusing on the way complaints are handled by the NHS.

The official inquiry ordered by the Government was boycotted by many of his victims because it was not held in public.

Graham Maloney, spokesman for many former Neale patients, today criticised the report, claiming it had fallen short because its remit had been too limited and the inquiry had been held in secret.

"We have always said this should have been a public inquiry and our opinion has not changed. There has been too much secrecy," he said.

Asked whether he welcomed the recommendation for a new body to oversee doctors' appointments, he said: "We have had such a body already. It's called the GMC, only it didn't do its job properly." He believed the inquiry should have looked at the role of the GMC.

Updated: 14:07 Thursday, September 09, 2004