Demand is growing for an independent review of claims made by a whistleblower over the safety of a specialist psychiatric service and her alleged subsequent victimisation.

Opposition politicians say it isn't good enough for ministers to simply rely on assurances from the health board that its own inquiries did not find anything seriously untoward.

This is seen as particularly questionable when there were specific concerns raised about the independence of those investigating and predictions made of a whitewash.

It was revealed yesterday whistleblower Dr Jane Hamilton, a consultant specialist psychiatrist, had appealed directly to the Scottish Government over her concerns about the NHS Lothian/East of Scotland perinatal psychiatry service, after failing to get satisfaction with NHS Lothian.

Investigations and Freedom of Information disclosures established she had warned the service was unsafe long before one young mother took her life in 2011 after she was allowed to leave the service's base at St John's Hospital in Livingston, which provides an inpatient treatment facility for mothers with serious psychiatric disorders along with their babies.

Dr Hamilton also highlighted a series of other critical incidents, and management failures.

She has been suspended or off work with stress related illness for much of the past four years. Subsequent to her raising the concerns, she was the subject of an internal grievance procedure which she is fighting with her union.

But two health secretaries, Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Neil, appear to have accepted assurances from NHS Lothian that the service was "safe and of a high standard", although critics say it was this health board's stewardship that was the focus of concern.

Dr Hamilton would not comment as she still in dialogue with NHS Lothian regarding her return to work. But the doctor at the centre of the Baby P scandal in London, Dr Kim Holt, met Mr Neil last night about other cases of alleged bullying in NHS Lothian and is calling on him to think again over Dr Hamilton.

Yesterday she was joined by Dr Richard Simpson, Labour's shadow Public Health Minister.

He said: 'Once again an important issue of public concern involving a whistleblower has only been revealed by careful investigative journalism."

The Scottish Government insists it has robust whistleblowing policies in place.