There has never been a more dangerous time for frontline NHS staff to speak out, a whistleblower who lost his job at Furness General Hospital has told a charity.

Consultant urologist Peter Duffy was invited to speak at the Royal Society of Medicine's spotlight on whistleblowing on Tuesday.

Mr Duffy quit his job at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust in July 2016 after he alleged he was bullied and forced out of his job in response to his whistleblowing.

Mr Duffy, who was named Doctor of the Year during his time with UHMBT, was awarded £102,000 by an employment tribunal in August 2018 after he was ruled to have been unfairly dismissed.

In Tuesday's speech he described what he calls as the "Whistleblower's Catch 22".

He said: "Do you speak up in the interests of the patients but against the interests of your organisation and managers and risk a career assassination? Or do you stay quiet and become complicit in the risk taking and cover-up, which case you may, quite rightly, lose your registration?"

Mr Duffy talked about the bullying, blackballing and cruel way in which he was ostracised by his colleagues as a result of speaking out against malpractice.

Some of the incidents he reported involved patients suffering from kidney failure and one man who was left permanently impotent.

"Do not underestimate the hatred that NHS whistleblowers attract," he told the society.

Mr Duffy, who now works on the Isle of Man, called on politicians and health regulators to "roll up their sleeves and wade in to protect whistleblowers".

His speech came during the week a second UHMBT whistleblower, Sue Allison, spoke out and alleged she had suffered similar treatment after reporting concerns about colleagues.

Mr Duffy concluded: "Based on my experience, there has never been a more dangerous time for frontline NHS staff to consider speaking up in defence of our patients."