The former hospital consultant who rocked the major parties by winning election as an independent MP in Worcestershire has returned to politics - warning he doesn't trust Labour or the Conservatives to take care of the NHS.

Richard Taylor, the former MP for Wyre Forest, is one of the founders of the new National Health Action party, which plans to stand candidates in the 2015 General Election.

He won a surprise victory in the 2001 election, unseating the sitting Labour MP when he stood as a "Health Concern" candidate in protest at the downgrading of services at Kidderminster General Hospital.

His success came as a blow to both the major parties, because despite electing a Labour MP in 1997, Wyre Forest is a constituency where Conservatives would usually expect to do well. The seat currently has a Tory MP, who defeated Dr Taylor in 2010.

Dr Taylor said he was moved to help found the new party by the Government's reforms to the NHS, which he vehemently opposes.

He is joint leader, alongside Middlesborough-based consultant Clive Peedell, and has not ruled out standing for election again although, at the age of 78, he said it depends on his health.

The new party is partly a response to concerns that Labour cannot be trusted with the NHS either, despite its opposition to the health reforms, he said. It follows the introduction of market-style reforms to the NHS under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

Speaking to the Birmingham Post, Dr Taylor said: "I'm asked if I will stand for Parliament again but I'm keeping my cards close to my chest. If I did stand it would be in Wyre Forest."

The Conservatives had broken their promise to avoid dramatic re-organisations of the NHS, he said.

"This Government was elected on a manifesto which said they weren't going to do any top-down re-organisation and then they came in and gave us the biggest re-organisation that has ever been seen. We don't object to every bit of it. But we object to the rush towards privatisation."

National Health Action has announced plans to stand candidates in seats held by leading members of the Government, including David Cameron, former Health Secretary Andrew Lansley and current Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

But the party was also partly a response to concern about Labour's attitude towards he NHS, even though Labour has promised to repeal the Government's Health and Social Care Bill

Dr Taylor said: "New Labour were right at the heart of opening up our health service to private providers. We don't altogether trust them."

Despite targeting seats such as David Cameron's Whitney constituency - which the Tories can safely expect to hold - the party was serious about getting MPs into the Commons at the next election, he said.

"We do realise what a challenge that is. We are determined not to split the vote in a useless way. So there are four Lib Dem MPs who bravely opposed the changes and we would not put up candidates against them.

"We won't stand against Labour MPs if they are committed to defending the founding principles of the NHS."

At a press conference to mark the launch of the party, co-leader Dr Peedell said: "George Osborne is pressing ahead with incredibly damaging austerity measures, and his Treasury is taking back front-line money from the NHS."