THE hospital at the centre of the Richard Neale scandal was last night waiting for confirmation that a former senior member of staff faces a disciplinary hearing.

Reports in a national newspaper yesterday indicated that Dr Michael Saunders has been charged with professional misconduct over his involvement in a reference given to the disgraced gynaecologist which allowed him to continue practising in the UK.

But yesterday, the General Medical Council declined to confirm or deny that Dr Saunders would face charges, with a spokesman saying the council would not discuss investigations ahead of a public hearing.

Dr Saunders, a neurologist, is the former medical director at The Friarage and his signature was on the reference given to Mr Neale after his departure from the hospital in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. The reference failed to mention that he had been suspended twice before he left in 1995 or that he had been struck off in Canada.

However, it is understood that the reference did mention that Mr Neale had suffered "difficulties" working at the hospital, a signal which was not investigated further by the Leicester Royal Infirmary which offered him a post.

Controversy continued to dog Mr Neale, whose contract in the Midlands was terminated after a clash with a porter.

And a complaint was finally made by the board in Leicester in 1996, when full details about Mr Neale's background emerged. It was only then that the NHS Trust in Northallerton withdrew its reference.

However, Mr Neale continued to practice as a gynaecologist, working on the Isle of Wight and in London.

He was only struck off earlier this year when 34 of 35 charges, including botching operations and carrying out unnecessary procedures, were found proved by the GMC.

Dr Saunders could not be reached for comment yesterday. But Dr Albert Day, a spokesman for the Medical Protection Society, which is representing him, said: "Dr Saunders acted entirely appropriately in this case.

"He is entirely innocent of any charges which may be brought against him and has the total support of the then trust board at The Friarage.

"He looks forward to the day when his name and professional reputation are cleared."

A former patient of Mr Neale, Carole Millward, said: "I don't believe anyone else from any other profession would have been given a reference if they'd made so many serious mistakes. It is a pity that, after the letter was written, so many more people had to suffer."

A spokesman for the Friarage Hospital, Ray Wood, said of the new twist to the Richard Neale case: "We have not yet been contacted by the General Medical Council and, therefore, there is nothing further we can say on the matter."

l In an unrelated incident, consultant gynaecologist Neil Hebblethwaite was sacked by The Friarage last week over an affair with a woman patient.

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