A DISGRACED doctor has been found guilty of malpractice.

Dr Dev Dutt was said to have put patients at unnecessary danger, broken patient confidentially, tricked a court and an elderly woman.

A General Medical Council (GMC) fitness to practice panel has now ruled that many of Dr Dutt’s actions had brought the medical profession into disrepute.

The panel in Manchester found Dr Dutt guilty of malpractice on 11 patients between 1985 and 2005.

Now Dr Dutt, who ran Fartown Health Centre, Spaines Road faces disciplinary action from the GMC. The former GP – suspended by the GMC in October 2005 – could be struck off the medical register.

Dr Dutt was found guilty of putting patients at unnecessary risk by making unorthodox treatments, inappropriate prescriptions and failing to check patients’ histories.

The panel found the GP had failed to adequately monitor patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hyperthyroidism. For an alcoholic patient, Dr Dutt prescribed a diuretic for over a year without review.

Of Dr Dutt’s treatment of a diabetic patient, panel chairman Andrew Reid said: “You took a haphazard approach to the management of this patient. Your own evidence on the matter was chaotic and you attempted to blame other healthcare professionals within your practice.”

The panel found Dr Dutt had tricked an 83-year-old partially-sighted patient into signing a letter asking him to be reinstated. The tribunal found Dr Dutt had inaccurately read the contents of the letter addressed to Huddersfield Central Primary Care Trust chief Kevin Holder.

The tribunal also found Dr Dutt had breached patient confidentiality in a bid to frame Fixby businessman David Ruddiman in court.

In a sworn statement to Huddersfield County Court in June 2004 Dr Dutt said: “Mr Ruddiman is telling such lies, although I know from his past medical records he is quite capable of that.”

The panel judged this was an abuse of Dr Dutt’s position.

The tribunal found a remark in his patient notes stating Mr Ruddiman was a pathological liar was inappropriate and brought the medical profession into disrepute.

The tribunal also found handwriting on many of Dr Dutt’s patients notes was so poor, the tribunal was unable to tell if the doctor had kept clear records.

The panel found Dr Dutt had broken patient confidentially and data protection by keeping his office is an untidy state. Patients notes were found mixed with personal papers all over the office.

The case has been adjourned until tomorrow while Dr Dutt, now unrepresented, seeks a new solicitor.

Proceeding.