A BLACKPOOL hospital has defended itself after being slammed by the judge in a high-profile manslaughter trial at the Old Bailey.

Judge Sir Stephen Mitchell said Blackpool Victoria Hospital showed a 'lamentable systemic failure' in allowing disgraced ex-Fylde surgeon Steven Walker to continue with operations despite concerns about his work.

Walker, 47, now of Camberley, Surrey, was struck off the General Medical Council's register in November 2001 and sacked from his four-year job at Blackpool Victoria Hospital after being found guilty of serious professional misconduct.

He was returned to the GMC register on appeal but with the condition that he would not operate.

But yesterday he walked free from court as the judge gave him a 21-month suspended jail sentence for the manslaughter of Blackpool woman Dorothy McPhee.

Mrs McPhee, 71, lost 36 pints of blood during a botched liver operation carried out by Walker at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in 1995.

The surgeon made a guilty plea last Thursday, prior to taking the witness box after five weeks of evidence.

Two further manslaughter charges will lie on file, along with other charges relating to the theft of a medical register.

Yesterday the judge said it was 'not Walker's fault' he had been allowed to continue carrying out operations and that there had been an 'astonishing delay' in the hospital reacting to concerns about his work.

But Roy Male, chief executive of of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Trust, defended the hospital, saying: "We have been told that in the judge's summing up he said it was comforting to hear about the new systems that are now in place at the trust to protect patients and staff.

"In response to the criticisms made by the judge about the trust's actions in relation to Mr Walker, we would only add to what we have previously said.

"Blackpool Victoria Hospital has been managed by a new organisation and a new chairman and chief executive since 2002.

"We are confident that due to the new clinical governance systems that this trust has put into place to protect patients and staff, the criticisms made could not be sustained in the present day."

The trust said its changes include a requirement for doctors trying new procedures to seek prior approval form the trust's clinical governance committee, the establishment of a 'raising concerns at work' policy, annual appraisals for consultants and improvements to the way checks are made on the registration of doctors and other professional staff.

Mr Male thanked staff for giving evidence at the Old Bailey, and at the previous GMC hearing.

"We would like to once again offer our apologies and deepest sympathies to all of the families that have been involved in what has been a long and difficult case," he added.