In 2006 Ashton resigned as regional director of public health in the north-west over foundation trusts which he saw as a return to pre-NHS independent hospitals . He feared the result would be " a two-tier health service offering better care for the well-off and basic care for the rest " albeit all under the NHS brand . He also said that hospitals would be competing with each other and people would lose confidence in the NHS when they saw nurses being dismissed because of funding cuts . Ashton who had " developed a no-nonsense reputation " in his 13 years in the job was regarded as " outspoken " and described himself as " fed up with government red tape . " In November 2010 Ashton was called before the Home Affairs Select Committee to give his views on the Cumbria shootings . Ashton believes the event would not have occurred without the media sensation of gun crime , in particular the reporting of the Columbine High School massacre . He feared the extensive coverage in Cumbria would sow the seeds for another event somewhere in the world
Cumbria shootings
Cumbria shootings
John Ashton (public health director)