A DOCTOR who took over a suspended GP’s surgery left after one month due to stress, a hearing heard yesterday.

Locum GP Dr Michael McParlin, who replaced Dr Dev Dutt at his Fartown practice, said he had to battle to avoid “catastrophic harm” to patients caused by Dr Dutt’s mistakes.

Dr Dutt, 66, denies malpractice on 11 patients between 1985 and 2005 at a General Medical Council (GMC) fitness to practice panel in Manchester.

Dr Dutt was barred from his practice at Fartown Health Centre, Spaines Road, in February 2005 by Huddersfield Central Primary Care Trust following complaints from patients.

Dr McParlin, who took over on February 8 2005, told the hearing he was shocked by the management of Dr Dutt’s practice.

But Dr McParlin said he was afraid to report the practice to the GMC for fear of Dr Dutt’s reputation.

The locum, who left the practice on March 11, 2005, said he found no systems in place and described the surgery’s method of repeat prescriptions as “very unsafe”.

He added Dr Dutt’s consulting room was “somewhere between a mess and shambolic”. Dr McParlin said Dr Dutt’s desk was littered with patient notes and one wall was covered by Dr Dutt’s court case files.

Dr McParlin told the panel: “My first feeling was the standard of care was so poor I needed to make a complaint to GMC. However, I felt quite frightened considering what I’d heard about Dr Dutt, so I went to the Primary Care Trust.

“The amount of work to stay above drowning was too much.

“It was avoiding catastrophic harm rather than doing good. It was too stressful.”

“I had to look back in the notes, sometimes many years, to find what the patient was on medication for.”

The tribunal also heard from Dr Dutt’s receptionist Ranja Bhalla, who had worked at Fartown Health Centre since the early 90s.

Mrs Bhalla said despite the lack of computerisation, surgery staff had coped. She said while Dr Dutt’s room and desk were crowded they were not disorderly.

Mrs Bhalla said protocols, including those for repeat prescriptions, were in place. She added Dr Dutt was attentive and caring and was missed by many of his patients.

Dr Dutt also denies allegations of failing to keep adequate notes, betraying patient confidentiality and other forms of misconduct.

The GMC suspended his right to practice in October 2005. The case continues.