"LESSONS must be learnt" stressed health bosses following a massive hospital inquiry into a shamed Bury surgeon.

Fifty-six-year-old Mr David Baumber (pictured) - who died of cancer earlier this year - became the subject of the inquiry, launched after three patients died in his care. Fifty-one women were recalled for emergency breast screening.

A report published on Tuesday claimed the surgeon gave inadequate care, misdiagnosed patients, delayed diagnosis and treatment and failed to find cancer lumps.

Now tough new measures are being introduced by Bury health bosses to prevent similar mistakes happening again.

A one-stop clinic has been established in Bury, centralising breast care services.

Specialist surgeons are being employed to prevent general surgeons carrying operations outside their specific field. Government legislation to monitor performance is also being introduced.

The independent review conducted by external experts outside the North West examined more than 800 of the surgeon's surgical and breast care cases dating back to 1991.

Of the 181 general surgical cases, 40 required further investigation, with seven resulting in legal action.

Of the 637 breast care cases examined, 128 needed further investigation and six resulted in legal cases.

Concerns were first raised by nurses following the deaths of Bury residents, 41-year-old Paul Blaine and 68-year-old Irene Roby in April last year. Both patients had stomach surgery and later died at Bury General Hospital. A third patient, 68-year-old Majorie Charlton from Newton Heath died in similar circumstances in September 1997.

The report concluded: "There is evidence that the failure to take timely action in the face of severe post-operative complications may have contributed to the deaths of two or three, patients."

The report which raised "serious concerns about the professional competence" of Mr Baumber also attacked his breast screening work which was found to be "below a standard that patients could have expected."

During the inquiry it emerged that three sets of breast care case notes were missing and revealed poor surgical management of breast care cases, including lack of mammograms and delays in diagnosis.

A Radcliffe father-of-two was awarded an £80,000 out-of-court settlement after Mr Baumber failed to diagnosis his wife Gillian's breast cancer. He dismissed her as a "silly woman."

But Mr Phillip Bacon, trust chief executive, stressed there was no evidence to suggest that there was a wider problem when the concerns first came to light in April 1998. He insisted the trust acted promptly and openly.

Mr Baumber of The Drive, Bury, quit his job after 21 years when health bosses persuaded him to "stay away" from work in April 1998.

The independent review found that it was inappropriate for him to continue working with "his grave illness and his need for continuing chemotherapy".

Mrs Pam McKee, director of contracts and business planning, called for more openness in the health service.

"Staff have to have the confidence, if they have serious concerns, to bring them to the attention of management. It is about changing the culture of the organisation," she said.

Dr Umesh Prabhu, medical director, said: It is a sad affair from which lessons must be learnt."

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