'Whitewash' doctor is struck off

A child psychiatrist has been struck off the medical register after he failed to attend a hearing about his suspension in Manchester.

Dr Patrick Cosgrove was originally suspended for 12 months by the General Medical Council in 2004.

The first hearing was told about letters criticising fellow doctors and about claims of a hospital whitewash.

Dr Cosgrove, worked at a private health centre in Bristol, the Priority Clinic, and was struck off in his absence.

It would be proportionate...to erase Dr Cosgrove's name from the medical register Panel chairman Prof Jack Crane

The Professional Conduct Committee, now Fitness to Practice Panel, was told Dr Cosgrove was one of the country's leading experts in the field of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

The committee said the comments made in the letters were "unprofessional, unsustainable and likely to cause the reader to doubt the knowledge and skills" of the doctors.

His allegations of a hospital whitewash, which related to an inquiry following the treatment of a young boy by Oxfordshire Mental Healthcare Trust, were found to be "unsustainable".

Following his suspension in 2004, he was invited to return and demonstrate he had changed his working practices but failed to attend the hearing in Manchester.

Panel chairman Professor Jack Crane said: "The Panel has received no evidence that he has shown any insight in respect of his previous behaviour and concludes that a further period of suspension would be insufficient.

"The Panel finds Dr Cosgrove's conduct to be incompatible with that of a registered medical practitioner and has concluded it would be proportionate and appropriate to erase Dr Cosgrove's name from the medical register."