TORY leader William Hague has joined calls for a major inquiry into the role played in the Richard Neale affair by the Friarage Hospital.

The Richmond MP has said he believes there is "a very good case" for what he describes as "a major inquiry", although he has so far stopped short of backing calls for a full scale public inquiry.

Victims of the disgraced former hospital gynaecologist have called for a public inquiry into the scandal - backed by The Northern Echo - and for women who suffered at the hands of the struck-off surgeon to be compensated.

Hospital bosses at the Northallerton NHS Health Care Trust, in North Yorkshire, defended the surgeon in the face of a growing numbers of complaints, before allowing him to leave with a favourable reference in 1995.

Last night, bosses at The Friarage confirmed they would not release the text of the employment reference, which subsequently led to complaints from the Leicester Royal Infirmary that they were not given the full story about Mr Neale.

Graham Maloney, spokes-man for a support group for Mr Neale's former patients, said: "Mr Hague's letter is a very important step forward in our campaign for a public inquiry. We need to have our questions answered and the only way is to have an independent inquiry."

Now the group aims to press Health Secretary Alan Milburn over the issue.

Mr Neale was struck off the medical register nine days ago for serious professional misconduct, after 34 out of 35 allegations against him were found proven.

It followed evidence of botched operations given to the General Medical Council's (GMC) disciplinary panel.

The Conservative leader's comments about the Neale case are made in a letter to former patients, many of whom live in Mr Hague's Richmond constituency.

In his letter, Mr Hague promises to press for an inquiry and asks to hear patients' views on what form that inquiry should take.

In a separate development, the GMC's handing of complaints against doctors has been described as confusing and inconsistent in a new report from The Policy Studies Institute.

Doctors and the public are being urged today to give their views on plans by the GMC to require medics to prove their continuing fitness to practise. For more details visit the GMC website at http://www.gmc-uk.org/revalidation/index.html

bnelson