A HOTLINE set up after an anaesthetist at a Wigan hospital died from an Aids related illness has been inundated with calls.

Over 100 concerned patients have contacted the Wigan and Leigh NHS Health Services Trust since it alerted the public yesterday.

However the director of public health for Wigan and Bolton, Dr Peter Elton stressed today there is no "conceivable risk" to patients who have recently undergone treatment at the hospital.

He said there was no risk of contaminated blood being passed from the anaesthetist to the patient. The unnamed doctor, a married man, who was a registrar in anaesthetics at the Royal Albert Edward Hospital, died on Friday evening.

A spokesman for the Trust said: "Checks carried out since the Trust became aware of the anaesthetist's illness last Wednesday have confirmed that he had never been involved in any work which carried a perceived risk of infection to patients."

The infected man, who emigrated to Britain from the Indian sub-continent four years ago, had previously worked at three other British hospitals - in Maidstone, Hull and East Yorkshire. The spokesman added: "The expert view is that it is not necessary for us to contact patients. This is in line with Department of Health guidelines."

The Wigan and Leigh Trust has said the anaesthetist and his family are entitled to the same level of confidentiality as other patients.

The Trust will not name the man and will give no further details of his illness.

The telephone hotline number set up for hospital staff and members of the public who may require further advice or reassurance is 01942 822051.

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