Farron welcomes Hillsborough panel member to investigate local NHS trust

South Lakes MP Tim Farron this morning met with Health Ministers and welcomed the news that one of the nine Hillsborough Panel members Bill Kirkup has been announced as the man to lead the investigation into failings at the trust.

Dr Bill Kirkup, CBE, a member of the Hillsborough Independent Panel, has been chosen to investigate past failings at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.

Bill, one of nine members of the panel, was appointed a consultant in 1986. He held posts in public health and at NewcastleUniversity before moving into NHS management with the former Northern Regional Health Authority.

In 1999, he was appointed regional director of public health and in 2005 became associate chief medical officer in the Department of Health. Dr Kirkup has also worked on public health and reconstruction in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan, and was made a CBE in 2008.

Tim said: "Bill's appointment is welcome news. This is something we have long called for and I hope he will be able to get to the bottom of what happened in the same way he did as part of the Hillsborough inquiry. Residents need to know the complete truth about what happened and who was responsible. I hope to meet Bill as soon as possible."