THE man who was in charge of Stafford Hospital while it was being investigated for poor standards of care has formally resigned - two months after the damning report.

Martin Yeates had stepped down from his role as chief executive in early March, days before the Healthcare Commission was due to publish its findings. He was then suspended from the hospital trust on full pay.

Now it has emerged he only officially tendered his resignation to Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust yesterday.

A lead campaigner, whose mother died after being treated at the hospital, today described the situation as a "disgrace".

Julie Bailey, from Stafford, who set up the Cure the NHS group, said: "Who is accountable for what has happened? So far, nobody. He should have been sacked.

"If the Government has its way, then this will be the end of it. There will be no further investigation. We really have got such a lot of questions that need answering. We need a public inquiry."

In its report, the Healthcare Commission savaged Stafford Hospital for a series of "appalling" failings. It highlighted how between 400 and 1,200 more people died than would have been expected over a three-year period up to 2008.

Problems were exacerbated by low staffing levels, inadequate nursing, lack of equipment, and a target driven management board.

Untrained receptionists had been left to carry out medical checks on patients arriving at A & E, some patients had been so dehydrated they drank from flower vases, and heart monitors had been switched off because nurses didn't know how to use them.

Since the health watchdog's findings, another report has revealed improvements at the accident unit. More nurses and other staff have been drafted in to bolster care.

An interim chief executive, Eric Morton, has been in post since March and the trust is now working to rebuild its shattered reputation.

Mr Yeates, who joined the hospital trust in 2005, earned a salary of £169,000. It included a pay rise of up to £39,000, which he was awarded while the hospital was being investigated.

The terms of his resignation have not been revealed, so it is not known if he was refused a pay-off.

In a statement issued last night, the trust's interim chairman, David Stone, said: "We received formal notification yesterday that Martin Yeates has resigned from the trust.

"The trust is actively seeking to recruit a new chief executive officer to drive forward the continuing transformation and help the staff and patients move forward with confidence."

Families who lost loved ones at Stafford Hospital are now planning to lobby MPs at the House of Commons on Monday. The visit coincides with a debate by politicians on Stafford Hospital.