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NHS Complaints

The report of the committee of inquiry into how the national health service handled allegations about the conduct of William Kerr and Michael Haslem, two former psychiatrists who practised in Yorkshire [Cm 6640] is being published today. Copies have been placed in the Library. This is one of the three inquiries announced in June 2001 by the then Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn). The reports of the other two inquiries, to consider how the NHS handled allegations about the conduct of Richard Neale, a former gynaecologist; and Clifford Ayling, a former general practitioner, were published last September. The Government would like to thank Nigel Fleming, the chairman of the inquiry, and the two members of his panel, Ros Alstead and Ruth Lesirge, for their thorough and thoughtful handling of undoubtedly sensitive issues. The Government are also grateful to those former patients of William Kerr and Michael Haslam who came forward and provided evidence to the inquiry which must, at times, have been very difficult and painful. We will consider the conclusions and recommendations of this report very carefully together with those of the fifth Shipman report, the Clifford Ayling report and the Richard Neale report and will provide our response to them all later this year.