GP suspended for plagiarising junior doctor's work in exam

A leading GP who was awarded an MBE in the New Year honours list has been suspended after being caught passing off a junior doctor's work as his own.

Health watchdogs found that Dr Sanjoy Kumar acted dishonestly and abused his position of trust and barred him for six months.

The 40-year-old, who was recognised for his work with violent patients, appeared before a fitness to practise panel at the General Medical Council. It heard how Dr Kumar, who practises at the Larkshall Medical Centre in Chingford and as a forensic examiner for the police, twice used a document written by his junior, Dr Margaret Staley, to try to gain a qualification.

Dr Kumar sent the memo to assessors as part of his coursework for a Teachers in Primary Care certificate in 2007, and after failing the course used it again the next year without crediting the other doctor. He was caught after anti-plagiarism computer software spotted that his submission was the same as Dr Staley's and an investigation was launched into both doctors.

The hearing was told that when confronted with the evidence, Dr Kumar claimed never to have met Dr Staley. "You plagiarised another doctor's work on two occasions," said the GMC ruling. "You also maintained a false account of your actions under investigation.

"Further, you abused your position of trust as Dr Staley's appraiser."

The panel said Dr Staley had been "totally exonerated". Dr Kumar could not be contacted for comment.