Essex doctor suspended over batch diagnosing patients
- Published
Dr Inigo Blasco was working at Rochford Medical Practice when he made bulk diagnoses
An Essex doctor who bulk diagnosed patients with depression, obesity and asthma has been suspended.
Dr Inigo Blasco was working at Rochford Medical Practice when he inappropriately amended records in batches between 2010 and 2012.
He told a tribunal his actions were "stupid" rather than dishonest.
His General Medical Council (GMC) registration has been suspended for a year.
Accepted fault
The issue was first discovered when a patient complained to the practice that a life insurance claim had been affected due to medical records which said depression had been diagnosed, the tribunal heard.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service tribunal found Dr Blasco had, without examining patients, changed medical records to show 180 people suffered from chronic kidney disease, 210 suffered obesity and 211 suffered depression.
The tribunal found this had been in order to improve the practice's performance and increase its income.
Dr Blasco's actions were found to constitute serious misconduct by the GMC panel.
It panel said Dr Blasco had accepted fault for his actions and it was satisfied he would not repeat them.
Dr Blasco left Rochford Medical Practice in 2013.