VICTIMS of disgraced gynaecologist Richard Neale are joining forces with other protest groups to campaign for better healthcare.

Supporters hope that by banding together, wronged patients can change the way medicine is policed in the UK.

The 250-strong Action and Support Group for Medical Victims of Richard Neale was formed five years ago.

Headed by the former model Sheila Wright-Hogeland, from Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, the group achieved its main aim of helping to get the former Friarage Hospital surgeon struck off the medical register in 2000.

But they were frustrated in their efforts to have a full public inquiry into the scandal of why the surgeon was allowed to operate on UK patients after being struck off in Canada and why no action was taken against him for years, despite mounting numbers of complaints. Instead they had to settle for an independent inquiry which is expected to report back early next year.

Graham Maloney, treasurer of the Neale campaign group, said: "We are going to amalgamate with similar patient support groups so that we will have more clout nationally."

Mr Maloney said the merger of four campaign groups early next year should bring together about 2,000 victims of medical negligence, forging them into a single federated organisation.

"There is power in numbers, we believe this is a major step forward for patients in this country," said Mr Maloney.

The new group, which may be called Patients In Parliament, will lobby MPs and the Government on a variety of issues.

"All the groups have been given an inquiry of some kind but we are all dissatisfied at the result. Our concern is that nothing seems to really change," said Mr Maloney.

The new group aims to concentrate on vested interests such as the General Medical Council, the Department of Health and individual NHS health trusts.

Other groups which plan to merge with the former Neale patients include those who campaigned against the disgraced gynaecologist Timothy Ledward, parents who lost their children in the Bristol Royal Infirmary babies scandal and Josephine Ocloo, who fought for an inquiry at the Royal Brompton Hospital, in London, after her daughter died of heart failure after being given the all clear.

Read more about the Richard Neale scandal here.