A MERSEYSIDE family doctor who was cleared of indecently assaulting 12 of his patients in court is being investigated by a medical watchdog.
The General Medical Council said last night it will decide whether Dr Shyam Prasad Sinha should face a formal hearing, which could lead to him being struck off the register.
The 57-year-old doctor was accused of assaulting 12 female patients between January 1998 and August 2003.
Dr Sinha, of Town Lane, Aughton, near Ormskirk, was due to stand trial at Liverpool Crown Court last November.
But in May, Judge William George recorded not guilty verdicts because the Crown Prosecution Service had offered no evidence.
While the case was going through the courts, Dr Sinha was suspended by the Knowsley Primary Care Trust but is now practising again at Peatwood Medical Centre on Peatwood Avenue in Kirkby.
Following a hearing in chambers at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, a GMC spokeswoman confirmed the council is "looking into the case".
She said: "Whenever we receive a complaint against somebody on our register, we always look into it. If the matter is subject to a police investigation, obviously that takes precedence and our investigations are put on hold.
"The General Medical Council is looking into Dr Sinha's case to establish whether we need to carry out a full-scale investigation, which could result in a hearing."
She added: "This can take place even if somebody has been cleared of all criminal charges as there is a different burden of proof. While the person may not have been guilty of a crime, the GMC has to make sure that a certain level of care was being carried out."
The GMC's investigation team needs to consider whether Dr Sinha is fit to practise. If they refer the case to adjudication, a public hearing will take place before an independent panel.
The GMC regulates all doctors in the UK, including hospital doctors or general practitioners. It has powers to prevent a doctor from practising, suspend a doctor from the register or place conditions on their registration.
The council will take formal action if a doctor has behaved inappropriately; not done their job properly; received a criminal conviction or caution; been found guilty by another regulatory body; impaired fitness to practise due to physical or mental ill health.
The GMC says many of the complaints it receives do not result in any action being taken.
jessicashaughnessy@dailypost.co.uk
