The British Health Secretary, Mr Alan Milburn, yesterday launched a comprehensive and inclusive public inquiry into how the family GP, Harold Shipman, was able to murder 15 of his female patients.
The inquiry, which will be chaired by Lord Laming of Tewin, will invite victims' relatives to present their views and a report will be published in September.
The Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, will establish an urgent review of procedures controlling the certification of deaths, cremations and burials.
In a surprise development, Mr Milburn told MPs in the House of Commons that he was "acting urgently" to reverse current General Medical Council rules enabling Shipman to draw his salary for another month. Under current rules he cannot be struck off the medical register immediately, but Mr Milburn said he was also considering measures to remove Shipman's medical pension.
Mr Milburn told MPs that the government was determined to apply the lessons of the Shipman case "to ensure that patients have the protection that they deserve".
Just 24 hours after Shipman was convicted at Preston Crown Court of murdering 15 female patients and sentenced to life in prison, Mr Milburn said the main aim of the inquiry was to make recommendations on how patients could be better protected in the future.
He told MPs the inquiry would examine measures to safeguard against the risks of isolated professional medical practice and would look into the question of access by GPs to controlled drugs.
After Shipman's trial it was discovered that he had continued in medical practice after a conviction for dishonestly obtaining drugs was revealed to his medical partners.
Mr Milburn said that in future doctors would be obliged to disclose criminal convictions and any action taken against them by a professional regulatory body before applying for appointment to medical lists.
Furthermore, GPs would be obliged to report deaths in their surgeries and other serious incidents involving patients to the local health authority.
Efforts to tighten regulatory procedures, including an annual appraisal of GPs, should be introduced swiftly, Mr Milburn said.
The Shadow Health Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, welcomed the announcement of a public inquiry but urged MPs to remember that it was Shipman who was found guilty and not the entire medical profession of general practitioners.
Media comment urged the government to tackle reform of death certificate procedures and to end single GP practices.