A civil servant who failed to examine a whistle blower's warning about the high death rate of children after heart surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary will not face disciplinary action.

Dr Peter Doyle, a senior medical officer at the Department of Health, was warned about the crisis by Dr Stephen Bolsin during a visit to the hosiptal in July 1994.

Dr Bolsin, who worked at the hospital, had already tried to raise his concerns with its managers and the General Medical Council.

Despite his fears no action was taken.

Hindsight

Dr Doyle was criticised in last year's Kennedy Report, which looked into the deaths of 29 children at the unit between 1984 and 1995.

But on Thursday, in a written answer to parliament, the Health Secretary Alan Milburn said the doctor had "responded appropriately" to the information he received.

Mr Milburn said three independent assessors had decided it was possible with hindsight to question Dr Doyle's decision not to examine the detailed data he was given by Dr Bolsin.

But he said any criticism had to be balanced against his "prompt and positive action" in seeking reassurances from the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

Mr Milburn said Dr Doyle had acted properly in raising "concerns that had been drawn to his attention and seeking reassurances".

He said the chief executive of the Department of Health, Nigel Crisp, had accepted the conclusions of the independent assessors, "including the recommendation that no disciplinary action is warranted".

Threatened

In July 1994 Dr Doyle had threatened to launch an inquiry into the high death rate at the hospital.

It was then decided to appoint a full-time specialist, stop arterial switch operations and move the operations to the children's hospital.

An inquiry by the Bristol Royal Infirmary's chief executive Dr John Roylance following the death of 18-month-old Joshua Loveday revealed the full extent of the children's heart unit's death rates.

Dr Doyle has resumed his work in the Department of Health as a senior medical officer providing advice on renal and transplant services.