What would Sir Alan Sugar have said?

Last week this web site revealed the catastrophic news that Bedfordshire PCT were trying to withhold £4million that it owed to Bedford Hospital; this is a sum of money which will make a major impact on the hospital's financial situation.

The story had been an open secret for some time, but had only been made "official" by the medical director Ed Neale's e-mail to consultant staff. Not long afterwards, the Chief Executive released the matter to all staff in her weekly newsletter (although she gave the figure as £3.9 million).

Thanks to the action of the Save Bedford Hospital party the story was picked up by Bedfordshire on Sunday. The PCT, embarrassed by some searching questions immediately reduced the disputed amount to £2million.

So thanks to the Save Bedford Hospital party the hospital found itself £2million better off.

But how did they react? I suspect that if Sir Alan Sugar had found that one of his apprentices had saved £2million he would have expressed his gratitude. That doesn't seem to be Bedford Hospital's way : on Monday morning the Save Bedford Hospital party's prospective parlaimentary candidate Dr Barry Monk received a letter from Mr Neale threatening him with disciplinary action.

One can only speculate what Sir Alan Sugar might have said to Mr Neale : "You're fired" perhaps.