A doctor who worked as a GP in Barking has been suspended for a year.
Dr Nadarajah Niranjan, who previously worked as a GP partner at Victoria Medical Centre, has been suspended from practising for 12 months after "failing to comply" with a performance assessment.
The tribunal hearing on October 11 went ahead despite the former GP applying for voluntary erasure from the medical register in August - and having "no desire" to return to clinical practice.
Dr Niranjan was originally suspended in 2023 after he failed to undergo a performance assessment for "no good reason" over the course of two years.
This followed a referral to the General Medical Council after his practice, Victoria Medical Centre, was rated 'inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in 2020.
Patient safety concerns were raised at the time and the CQC took "urgent action" to find a new provider to take over the running of the surgery.
However, according to the tribunal decision report, further allegations were then raised in May 2021.
This included that Dr Niranjan was "favouring Sri Lankan patients", allowing a healthcare assistant to "work as a doctor at the centre when they were not qualified to do so" and "editing consultations of his clinical colleagues" at the centre.
At the point these allegations were raised, however, Dr Niranjan had already retired from clinical practice - having done so in October 2020.
A performance assessment planned for 2021 was cancelled by the General Medical Council due to an unknown incident, and Dr Niranjan’s representative Clyde & Co referenced "difficulties" as the central reason for him not undertaking the assessment.
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In an email written to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service at the beginning of October, in relation to the current hearing, Clyde & Co said: "Dr Niranjan apologises to the GMC for not having communicated the difficulties he was experiencing, which are the central reason for him not having undertaken a performance assessment as requested.
"In light of those ongoing issues and Dr Niranjan’s age, a return to clinical practice is neither realistic, nor something Dr Niranjan has any desire to pursue."
It added: "We can confirm that Dr Niranjan does not object to the extension of his suspension from the register whilst his application for removal from the same remains outstanding."
However, the tribunal determined there are "clear risks to the public" while Dr Niranjan’s name remains on the medical register, if there is no performance assessment undertaken.
A further review of the former GP's case will take place before the end of his suspension period.
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