IT is fair to say that The Northern Echo's name is mud at The Friarage Hospital in Northallerton. Tensions are understandably running high as a result of the extensive coverage given to the controversies involving two consultant gynaecologists, Richard Neale and Neil Hebblethwaite - in very different circumstances.

Colleagues of these consultants have accused the paper of sensationalism, of unfairness and of undermining public confidence in the hospital.

I have received private correspondence from senior staff and a letter for publication from Dr Joe Hampson, Honorary Consultant Physician, which was printed last Saturday.

I therefore believe it is important to explain our position on the cases of Mr Neale and Mr Hebblethwaite.

Accusation: "The Neale and Hebblethwaite cases should have been reported completely separately."

Yes, they were very different cases. Mr Neale was proven to be a dangerously incompetent surgeon whose bungling left women patients in agony.

Mr Hebblethwaite was, by all accounts, a highly respected and dedicated professional. There was never any suggestion that he was in any way incompetent but he was sacked because he had an affair with a patient. The General Medical Council takes a dim view of such behaviour which can amount to serious professional misconduct.

Much of the flak aimed at The Northern Echo from within The Friarage has come because we referred to the Neale case in the context of our front page report on October 4 about Mr Hebblethwaite being dismissed.

The cases should have been reported quite separately, cried our critics. Really? Two consultants who worked in the same hospital department are censured for serious misconduct within three months - albeit different types of serious misconduct - and we, as a newspaper, are expected to make no reference to the case of Mr Neale in the context of Mr Hebblethwaite's dismissal? Former patients of Mr Neale were transferred to the care of Mr Hebblethwaite in 1995. It would have been absurd not to make any connection.

In addition, it is also not widely known that, rather than being sensationalist about the Hebblethwaite case, The Northern Echo actually held back on publishing the allegations from the woman patient with whom he had an affair.

When we were first approached by the woman, the Trust refused to make any statement and I therefore took the view that it was unsafe, and unfair, to publish her claims against Mr Hebblethwaite.

It was only after another newspaper had reported her claims, and Mr Hebblethwaite faced possible disciplinary action, that The Northern Echo published the story.

Accusation: "It is wrong to blame the present Trust members for what happened in the past."

Throughout the Richard Neale saga, The Northern Echo made repeated references to the fact that all but one of those involved in appointing him and giving him a glowing reference were no longer in place.

Yes, we said they had questions to answer. Why was no action taken when it was discovered that Mr Neale had been struck off in Canada? And why did he receive a reference positive enough to enable him to work at another hospital?

The latter is a question that the Friarage's former medical director Dr Michael Saunders has been asked by the GMC - although it has still not been confirmed whether he has been charged with serious professional misconduct, as claimed by a national Sunday newspaper.

But let us not lose sight of the fact that the present Trust has also faced public criticism from a patients' support group - that it did not listen or act quickly enough over genuinely expressed concerns.

At the last AGM in September, there were angry comments made from the floor by former patients and relatives who wanted to know why the hospital had not set up a help-line for worried patients of Mr Neale.

There were also claims that recent complaints and inquiries relating to the Neale case had not been properly dealt with.

It is surely part of a newspaper's role to air those concerns, to give people in the community a voice, and I make no apology for doing so.

Indeed, it can be strongly argued that the scandal of the Neale case may well have been swept under the carpet had it not been for the persistence of The Northern Echo, and other sections of the media, in supporting patients' demands for an inquiry.

To date, such a demand has been supported by MPs from every major political party as well as the Patients' Association and the Association of Community Health Councils of England and Wales.

Accusation: "The Northern Echo is continuing to undermine public confidence in The Friarage Hospital."

As a father of four children born at The Friarage, and whose family received a consistently high standard of care, I fully appreciate the skill, dedication and professionalism of the staff.

I acknowledge that it is frustrating for them that their commitment and good work have been overshadowed by the recent controversies.

With Dr Saunders now facing a possible GMC hearing over Mr Neale's reference, and Neil Hebblethwaite facing a possible GMC hearing over his sorry misjudgement, the bad publicity will continue for some time to come.

By following the progress of those very separate inquiries, and demanding further answers, The Northern Echo will inevitably be accused of playing its part - along with other newspapers, television and radio stations - in damaging the reputation of The Friarage Hospital.

But, in truth, who is really to blame for tarnishing the reputation of that hospital? Is it The Northern Echo which reflected public concern and gave ordinary people a voice? Or is it those who were guilty of serious professional misconduct - and those accused of failing to act quickly enough to restore public confidence?