THE Government may not act on recommendations made during the inquiry into disgraced surgeon Richard Neale until next year, it has emerged.

Although the investigation reported almost two months ago, no action has been taken on the recommendations it made.

Last night, health officials said nothing was likely to be done until an investigation into GP Harold Shipman was completed.

Graham Maloney, advisor to the patient group set up by Neale's victims, said members were increasingly impatient at the lack of progress.

He said: "Our concern is that patients remain at risk until radical changes are made to the way the NHS monitors under-performing doctors."

Neale obtained a post as consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at the Friarage Hospital in North-allerton, North Yorkshire, despite being struck off after the death of two patients in Canada.

Despite growing evidence of professional misconduct and increasing complaints from women patients, he continued working in the UK from 1985 until 2000, when he was struck off for botching a string of operations and lying to patients.

"Almost two months have passed since an inquiry headed by a judge made 27 detailed recommendations," said Mr Maloney.

"None of them have been adopted and that is not good enough."

The Neale inquiry report made a series of recommendations to ensure more women did not suffer because health officials failed to identify problem doctors.

Dave Hinchliffe, Wakefield MP and the chairman of the Health Select Committee of MPs, is due to meet Health Secretary Dr John Reid to discuss the implications of the report.

He said: "I share many of Mr Maloney's concerns but I would not be surprised if the Government waits until the inquiry into Harold Shipman is published before making clear the steps that that it has taken."

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "The Neale report is obviously quite detailed so we need to carefully consider the recommendations and how best to take them forward, and that is going to take a bit longer than a few weeks.

"Lots of the issues in the fifth report into Shipman are going to overlap with the Neale report.

"We said at the time that we would respond in more detail and work has begun on looking at the recommendations."

Read more about the Richard Neale scandal here.