HEALTH Secretary Alan Milburn has been told to "stop faffing about" and help the poor, in an article by a leading independent health expert.

In a tongue-in-cheek attack on Mr Milburn's radical credentials, Professor Alan Maynard, of York University, accuses the Darlington MP of failing to do more to help deprived areas.

Writing in the Health Service Journal, Prof Maynard assumes the persona of a fictional socialist "Nala Dranyam" (an anagram of his name) and criticises Mr Milburn for not going far enough to combat health inequalities.

"I appreciate that your background is one of radical advocacy as a trade union researcher and, it is said, a proprietor of a left-wing bookshop on Tyneside. Of necessity, this radicalism has been 'blurred' by New Labour rhetoric," he writes.

"Since you entered office there have been expressions of interest about health inequalities, but all too little action."

Prof Maynard acknowledges efforts made to increase cancer care, cardiac care and mental health care, and the Health Secretary's desire to shift resources from South to North.

He says: "Well done, comrade. But where are the equity performance indicators, and how many chief executives have been 'managed' out of the NHS for failing to improve access for the poor? Stop faffing about, man, and help the poor."

A senior Department of Health spokesman said the Government had a comprehensive programme designed to reduce inequality in the UK.

"We will be the first Government to establish a health inequalities target for the whole of Government, including targeting infant mortality," he said