Police should investigate Labour ministers over Mid Staffs Sir David Nicholson, the outgoing chief executive of NHS, announced his retirement last month after admitting that it was a matter of "profound regret" that the health service was letting down many sick and elderly patients. He was in charge of the health authority supervising Stafford hospital for two years and had come under intense pressure to resign over his part in the scandal. "The deafening sound of silence in the face of reason is now simply fuelling more questions," Miss Leslie said. I very much hope that this police investigation does not simply turn front line staff into scapegoats but begins to probe into and answer some of the burning questions that have still yet to be answered about what those in power - senior managerial positions, Department of Health Officials, and even government ministers knew, when they knew it, and what they did (or more importantly) did not do about it. It comes as Sir David faces being accused of misleading Parliament and of taking part in a "systemic cover-up," after figures disclosed that hospitals have spent £2million on 50 secret gagging orders. Sir David, who is retiring next year, told MPs in March that he had only come across one of the orders, used for gagging whistle-blowers. However, figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that at least 52 staff have been silenced using the orders since 2008, some of which cost as much as £500,000. All are thought to contain confidentiality clauses. The true number is likely to be higher. A quarter of hospital trusts in England and Wales failed to respond, while the survey did not include GPs, the ambulance service and mental health trusts. The figures were obtained by Stephen Barclay, a Conservative member of the public accounts committee. He will on Wednesday call for Sir David, the chief executive of NHS England, to step down when he returns to appear before the committee.