Shock over hospital health hero

Bill Cash said the action was taken after he was contacted by the worker.

The Stone MP made the revelations during a Westminster debate yesterday on Stafford Hospital – during which the Government again rejected calls for an independent public inquiry.

One of the questions Health Secretary Alan Johnson has frequently posed is why witnesses to the dire state of affairs and catalogue of debacles at the hospital remained silent.

Mr Cash described the pressures on staff and told the 90-minute hearing: "Without going into details now, I shall shortly be revealing what happened when a whistleblower got in touch with me. Apparently, he has been suspended – partly, if not entirely, because he spoke to me.

"In addition, he has been called in for psychiatric assessment.

"That smacks of the creation of a culture of fear reminiscent of things that went on in the gulags and under fascist and communist regimes of the past. That is the kind of culture that we must stamp out."

The Tory MP renewed his demand for an independent public inquiry and warned failure to do so would amount to a "cover-up".

A string of reviews into different aspects of the scandal have been announced by Mr Johnson since the shaming of Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust in a report by the Healthcare Commission last month over at least 400 deaths at the hospital.

These include an independent review of case notes; the appointment of Professor George Alberti to conduct an immediate review; a further probe into the failure to pick up on early warnings; and a report on the performance of the Primary Care Trust and Strategic Health Authority.

Mr Cash argued no confidence could be placed in these arrangements because there had already been a "systematic failure" in this case by various bodies charged with investigating, monitoring and providing analysis of health services.

The debate was secured by Stafford MP David Kidney, who described what had happened as "shocking, heart-breaking stuff".

"We have been left bewildered, furious and in no mood for anything other than the strongest and quickest action to repair the terrible damage that has been done. Patients who trusted the NHS as a friend and saviour were tragically failed and let down," said the Labour MP.

He also made the case for a public inquiry and called for new leadership at both the trust and hospital, improved training, supervision and accountability of staff and greater public and patient involvement.

He added: "We must now create a modern, effective body with real power, not just a talking shop. It must be a rottweiler on behalf of patients and the public."

Cannock Chase MP Tony Wright said he was "genuinely puzzled" as to why staff who knew what was going on did not come forward to speak about it.

"There is something seriously wrong when people feel that they cannot safely raise issues," he said. He too demanded a public probe, not only to provide the answers to questions still hanging in the air, but to give public reassurance that the issue had been properly explored and lessons learned.

But Health Minister Ben Bradshaw dismissed the calls. He said the full investigation and detailed report by the Healthcare Commission had already laid bare the failures at Stafford Hospital.

"A public inquiry would add little more to our understanding, be time consuming and crucially, distract the new management and staff at the hospital from focusing on further improving the quality of care for local people," said Mr Bradshaw.

He added any outstanding concerns or criticisms could be made to the announced reviews and to the new super watchdog, the Care Quality Commission.

It is formed from a merger of the Healthcare Commission, the Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Mental Health Act Commission to simplify regulation.

It will oversee everything from GPs' surgeries and hospitals to nursing homes and psychiatric treatment.

South Staffordshire Tory MP Sir Patrick Cormack was unable to attend the debate because of a commitment as chairman of the Commons select committee on Northern Ireland with Secretary of State Shaun Woodward.