Fury as 'ill' former Stafford Hospital chief goes on course

The former boss of a Midlands hospital - who was too ill to give evidence at an inquiry into the deaths of hundreds of patients - is believed to have completed a course in teaching English as a foreign language.

Martin Yeates, who resigned as chief executive of Stafford Hospital in May 2009 is thought to have studied a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course in July this year.

Mr Yeates has never spoken publicly about his role in the years spent as head of the hospital.

During that time patients suffered appalling care and were routinely neglected.

It has been estimated between 400 and 1,200 people could have died as a result of poor care at the hospital.

Mr Yeates is thought to have attended a TEFL course at the Ramada Hotel, at The Mailbox, in Birmingham in July this year.

The course would have been either a 20-hour course over the Saturday and Sunday at a cost of £195 or a 30-hour weekday course at a cost of £245.

On the TEFL organisation website Mr Yeates, who described himself as an early retirement NHS chief executive, left a comment after completing his course.

He praised the course and tutor and said he found it "very active and hands on" and was a "structured interesting course."

An independent inquiry into the events at Stafford Hospital was held at the end of last year. Robert Francis QC revealed he had accepted confidential evidence that Mr Yeates was too ill to give evidence.

Now health campaigners are demanding Mr Yeates, a former director of care services at Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust, be called to give evidence to the public inquiry which will start next month.

Julie Bailey, founder of Cure the NHS, the group which helped expose the hospital failures said: " If he can do a course in July then in my opinion we would expect him to be called to give evidence at the public inquiry."

Mr Yeates could not be contacted.