Dame Barbara Hakin , national director of commissioning operations for NHS England , is facing the threat of a new inquiry into claims she put patient safety at risk in a drive to meet targets . The most powerful woman in the NHS is facing the threat of a new inquiry into claims that she put patient safety at risk in a drive to meet targets , the Mail can reveal . Dame Barbara Hakin , national director of commissioning operations for NHS England , was accused of gagging a whistleblower who tried to warn about the impact of targets on ordinary patients . She was investigated by the General Medical Council , which concluded that there was no case to answer . However , it is now reviewing part of this decision and is appointing an independent expert to consider if the original investigation went ‘ far enough ’ in respect of patient safety . The GMC is concerned that there ‘ may have been a material flaw ’ in the previous decision , which could lead to the case being reopened . Dame Barbara , 57 , a former Bradford GP who worked alongside Sir David Nicholson when he was NHS chief , was criticised for the gagging of whistleblower Gary Walker while she was in charge of East Midlands Strategic Health Authority . Mr Walker and other senior executives at the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust ( ULHT ) claim that they had raised concerns with her that the enforcement of targets – implemented by the last Labour government – was endangering lives . This , they alleged , contributed to the trust being in the bottom 25 of the Department of Health ’ s mortality league tables and being compared to the scandal-hit Mid Staffs . They took their allegations to the GMC , the regulatory body for doctors , who investigated but concluded that there was no case to answer . But following complaints to the watchdog about its review , it is calling for an independent report . The GMC said the absence of such a report ‘ may amount to a material flaw in the investigation ’ that may have affected the decision . ‘ There are concerns that the evidence gathered in the initial investigation did not go far enough in relation to allegations surrounding patient safety , ’ it said . The GMC concluded that the review is ‘ necessary for the protection of the public ’ . Dame Barbara , 57 , a former GP , was criticised for the gagging of whistleblower Gary Walker ( above ) , who tried to warn about the impact of targets , while she was in charge of East Midlands Strategic Health Authority . It added : ‘ The specific question here is whether Dr Hakin ’ s fitness to practise could be called into question on the basis of her insistence that ULHT met the NHS targets no matter what . Further evidence from an external independent expert would have been useful to consider whether Dr Hakin ’ s actions were reasonable in all of the circumstances. ’ Dame Barbara , who earns around £205,000 in her current role and was referred to as the most powerful woman in the NHS by the Health Service Journal , said the original allegations were ‘ spurious and vexatious ’ . She alleged they stemmed from the ‘ failure ’ of the ULHT board to manage the hospital and it was a ‘ campaign to discredit her ’ . Mr Walker said yesterday : ‘ I am delighted the GMC is now considering that when Dr Hakin put pressure on me and my colleagues to hit targets it may have put the lives of patients at risk . ‘ The NHS tried to gag me and prevent me from giving evidence to the GMC but what really happened is finally being exposed . ‘ I hope now the GMC will do the right thing and seek to remove Dr Hakin ’ s licence. ’ A GMC spokesman said it was ‘ reviewing a decision made as part of our original investigation ’ but added that Dame Barbara was not under investigation . Labour insisted that it was ‘ always clear that NHS targets should not be implemented in a way that jeopardises the quality of patient care ’ .
Dame Barbara Hakin , 57 , facing threat of a new inquiry over patient safety . Calls for inquiry into claims she risked lives in a drive to meet set targets . Accused of gagging whistleblower Gary Walker who tried to warn of risks . General Medical Council said no case to answer but reviewing its decision .