THE long-awaited inquiry into disgraced North Yorkshire gynaecologist Richard Neale has been announced by the Department of Health.

An independent investigation into how the NHS handled allegations about the performance and conduct of the former Northallerton surgeon will be chaired by Dr Bernadette Fuge, medical director of the National Assembly for Wales.

At the same time the Department of Health has announced a separate independent investigation into the way the NHS responded to concerns raised by patients of disgraced North Yorkshire psychiatrist Dr William Kerr.

Dr Kerr was placed on the sex offenders register after a court found he had indecently assaulted a vulnerable psychiatric patient.

Victims of Mr Neale say the plans for a behind-closed-doors investigation does not go far enough to answer many questions about the former Friarage Hospital gynaecologist.

Sheila Wright-Hogeland, a victim of Mr Neale who helped found the patient group that helped to get him struck off a year ago, said: "This is a travesty. We need a genuinely public inquiry if we are going to get to the truth of why this man was allowed to damage so many women."

Get the full story in Saturday's edition of The Northern Echo.

Read more about the Neale inquiry here.

Updated: 16.05 Friday, July 13