A SUSPENDED doctor tricked a partially-sighted widow into signing a letter in a bid to be reinstated, a tribunal heard yesterday.

Dr Dev Dutt is alleged to have asked the woman, 83 at the time, to sign the letter – addressed to Huddersfield Central Primary Care Trust chief Kevin Holder – requesting Dr Dutt be allowed to return to work.

The former GP of Fartown Health Centre was suspended by the Trust in February 2005 following complaints from patients.

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

In a statement read to the panel, the widow, 84, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said Dr Dutt called unannounced at her house.

She said Dr Dutt had asked her to sign a letter, dated July 8 2006, confirming she had been a longstanding patient of his. The doctor returned a week later with a prepared letter.

The former patient said Dr Dutt read the letter as she was unable to read because of poor eyesight.

But the woman said she later discovered the letter contained various untrue matters which she could not remember Dr Dutt reading.

Such matters included Dr Dutt helping the pensioner home on a chance meeting and Dr Dutt carrying out various tests during her time as a patient.

She said: “He asked me to read it. I was surprised because he knew my sight was bad. Dr Dutt read it quite quickly. I can’t remember what he said the letter contained but he asked me to sign it.

“I’m surprised Dr Dutt prepared this letter as it was misleading and untrue. If he had read it to me properly I’m sure I would have picked up on it.”

She added, despite taking repeat prescriptions for many years, she could not remember Dr Dutt carrying out any reviews.

The panel heard from another former patient who cannot be named for legal reasons.

The patient, in her 40s, said she visited the doctor four times in 2004 with heavy vaginal bleeding. On three occasions, she said she could not remember the doctor examining her or offering advice or treatment.

The patient said she was later admitted to Huddersfield Royal Hospital and given four pints of blood.

But she admitted Dr Dutt might have referred her to a gynaecologist.

She said: “I wasn’t treated in the way I should have been. As a patient I expected all the help I could get from him.”

Dr Dutt 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.