Radio 5Live's Phil Taylor on the Stracathro case

Consultant general surgeon Peeyush Sharma was suspended from Stacathro Hospital near Brechin on Wednesday.

Dr George Paterson, acting medical director, told a press conference that Mr Sharma was involved in a case over the weekend in which a man in his sixties was admitted for emergency surgery.

The man had an operation and was then transferred to another hospital, but he died on Monday.

The case has been referred to the Procurator Fiscal's office in Dundee for possible legal action.

Mr Paterson said Mr Sharma performed a range of minor and major surgery.

"Concern has been expressed about his practice in major cases," he said, adding that Mr Sharma did a lot of emergency abdominal surgery.

He said suspension was normal practice when a surgeon was being investigated and did not constitute disciplinary action.

An independent audit into 400 of Mr Sharma's cases has started.

Mr Paterson also admitted that Mr Sharma's colleagues had expressed concerns about his clinical operations and surgical techniques months ago.

Around 23 people have called a helpline set up for the surgeon's former patients on Wednesday.

Transfer

Mr Sharma is the second of three consultant surgeons at the hospital to be suspended in the last three weeks.

Medical director Douglas Irving, a breast and bowel cancer surgeon, three weeks ago. An investigation has been started into his clinical practice over the last five years.

The Angus Trust which runs Stracathro Hospital has asked all GPs and the Scottish Ambulance Service to transfer all emergency surgical patients to Dundee hospitals around 40 miles away.

Non-emergency cases from Dundee hospitals will be transferred to Stracathro to ease the workload in Dundee.

Reassurance

Scottish health minister Sam Galbraith said the two suspensions were "a coincidence" and not part of a hidden agenda to close the hospital.

Sam Galbraith: 'the system ensures public safety'

Mr Galbraith was trying to reassure patients who have been treated at Stracathro Hospital.

He said the suspensions showed how effective the system put in place by the government was in ensuring standards of care were maintained.

"The basis of this system is to shake out any problems so we shouldn't be surprised when we find some - though I'm not anticipating any more," he said.