A DOCTOR who falsely diagnosed former patients with depression, obesity and kidney disease has been suspended for another year after failing to undergo training.

Dr Inigo Blasco was working at Rochford Medical Practice when he inappropriately amended hundreds of patients’ records.

He was first suspended in 2018, but three years and two Medical Practitioners Tribunals later, his suspension has been extended for a further 12 months.

This is because Dr Blasco has not provided the General Medical Council (GMC) with evidence that he has appointed a mentor and undertaken other training.

The mentorship and training were designed to ensure he understood how serious his actions were.

A hearing heard there were still concerns he could “repeat similar behaviour”.

In her decision, legally qualified chair Miss Rachel Birks said: “I have taken into account that Dr Blasco has not provided the GMC with the evidence that the Second Reviewing Tribunal indicated that a future review tribunal would be assisted by.

“This includes evidence that he appreciates the gravity of his dishonesty, or the impact on public confidence in the medical profession.

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“This means that Dr Blasco has still not demonstrated any developed insight and remediation and is still at risk of repeating similar behaviour in the future.

“There is no evidence that would enable a reviewing tribunal to conclude that his fitness to practise is no longer impaired by reason of his misconduct at this stage.”

The first tribunal found that Dr Blasco had, without examining patients, changed medical records to show they were suffering from chronic conditions including asthma.

At the end of his first suspension in July 2020, a second tribunal was held and concluded that Dr Blasco still had a “lack of insight and appreciation” of the impact of his misconduct on patients.

In a letter to the Echo after his suspension, Dr Blaso said he entered patient data in bulk “as an attempt to run the surgery smoothly”.

The surgery has since closed down.

The tribunal said another review would take place in summer this year and that Dr Blasco must provide evidence of a mentor, a record of what he has done to improve his understanding, and training he has taken.

The reason for Dr Blasco not providing the evidence was not disclosed in a review of the papers by Miss Birks.

She said that a 12 month suspension was “proportionate”.

She added: “There is no evidence available to me which suggests that Dr Blasco is incapable of developing insight and remediating his misconduct, and a further period of suspension allows him that opportunity.”

*The former Rochford Medical Practice, which has closed, was in the same building as the Puzey Family Practice, which remains open and is separate to the former practice which has closed.*