THE so-called Butcher of Bega has expressed ``sincere regret for his actions'' after a report recommended that he be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for possible criminal charges after lying his way into a job as an obstetrician at two South Coast hospitals.

The Health Minister, Reba Meagher, and the Health Department chief, Debora Picone, are yet to hold anyone responsible for the debacle in which Graeme Reeves, of Castle Hill, was employed as an obstetrician even though he was banned from the practice.

Reeves is being investigated by police over allegations of botched operations, genital mutilation and sexual assault on hundreds of women at Bega and Pambula hospitals after he was employed by the Greater Southern Area Health Service in April 2002.

He was banned from practising obstetrics in 1997 after a string of serious complaints, including two patient deaths.

A report released last week by Commissioner Peter Garling, SC, found significant systemic failures in the hiring of Reeves health executives failed to conduct adequate background checks or even check his registration status.

But while the future of two health department executives is under scrutiny, Mr Garling said: ``Reeves's dishonesty was the key reason he was recruited.''

Ms Meagher said the report was referred to the DPP, Nicholas Cowdery, QC.

``I would hope the victims feel encouraged to know there has been a lot of work done in strengthening the recruitment procedures so this can't happen again,''she said.

Ms Meagher said she supported all of Mr Garling's 10 recommendations aimed at tightening recruitment procedures.

It's been revealed that Reeves gave evidence in private to the inquiry in May. The inquiry detailed a litany of incompetence and mistreatment of patients, which Reeves agreed had occurred. The Sydney Morning Herald