THERE is a worrying element to the Department of Health's "concession" to campaigners calling for an independent public inquiry into the Richard Neale affair.

Government officials have now offered the prospect of an inquiry chaired by a senior barrister or "other demonstrably independent person".

This is, indeed, preferable to having it overseen by a senior NHS doctor and is undoubtedly a step forward.

The Department of Health goes on to say that witnesses would be allowed to talk to the press after giving evidence.

Allowed? Are we to be grateful?

What exactly is the alternative? That witnesses - members of the public discussing the inadequacies of a public service - should be banned from talking to the press?

The answer is that no, we are not grateful for this concession. Given that it is a common perception that the Richard Neale scandal would not have exposed had it not been for the right of members of the public to turn to the press - notably The Northern Echo - any attempt to gag witnesses would have been appalling.

The identification of witnesses can be protected, as in the General Medical Council hearing which struck off Mr Neale for his arrogance and incompetence. So why hold the inquiry in private?

What is wrong with members of the public being told exactly why a discredited, bungling consultant was allowed to operate on women and leave them in agony; why patients' concerns were not adequately listened to; and why Mr Neale was given a glowing reference to go and work elsewhere in the National Health Service with a fat cheque in his back pocket?

We welcome the decision to put the chairmanship of the inquiry into independent hands and view it as a sign that officials are listening to the continuing public disquiet.

But let us nip in the bud any suggestion that allowing people to talk to the press in a free society is somehow doing us all a favour.

Lessons should have been learned by now. Make it an open, public inquiry, let people know the full facts, and then put measures in place to make sure it never happens again.

That's all we ask.