THE arrogance of disgraced gynaecologist Richard Neale knows no bounds.

Yesterday, he effectively blamed the media for his downfall, conveniently overlooking his own incompetence.

He said: ''Only two of the patients now giving evidence to the GMC made a complaint to the hospital contemporaneously. It is almost certain that the others would have taken no action at all had it not been for adverse media publicity.''

The Northern Echo started that adverse media publicity in 1993. It would have been far more convenient for Neale if we hadn't, for the ten other women who gave evidence against him would have continued to suffer in silence, unaware in their isolation that others too had suffered at his hands, unaware that a compelling catalogue of incompetence was building up that put his future patients at risk as well.

Three more former patients confidentially approached The Northern Echo yesterday. The Friarage Hospital has now logged 60 complaints. Twenty women are pursuing negligence claims. Police are investigating three post-operative deaths which may also be connected to negligence.

It would, of course, be far more convenient for Neale if there were no more complaints or investigations.

But one of the most distressing aspects of this case is that the convenience of surgeons and hospitals has constantly been put before the welfare of patients.

Having ruined his career in Canada, Neale was conveniently able to restart it in England where no one was required to investigate his past. But as complaints and questions grew in Northallerton, the health authority and trust were able to conveniently dismiss them.

And it is clear that the Northallerton NHS Trust eventually paid him off because it was most convenient for it to do so. "The Trust agreed to the severance package because it faced threats of legal action and believed that the cost of attempting to dismiss Mr Neale would have been greater than £100,000 and that it could not be certain of success," said chief executive Tony Bruce in a letter to an aggrieved patient. "The Trust believed that the severance agreement represented best value for money in the circumstances and, most importantly, enabled it to quickly appoint another Consultant Obstretrician."

So the convenience of Northallerton was put before the safety of patients in Leicester.

While Neale is able to hide behind his arrogance, it is to be hoped that next week the authorities answer the questions we pose on page seven today, and that the culture of the NHS can be changed so that the interests of patients are always put before the convenience of surgeons and managers.