'Lying' doctor David Clark to return to work

A doctor who was banned from practising for a year for lying on his CV in a failed job application has been allowed to return to work.

Dr David Clark falsely claimed to have authored six academic publications and then fabricated documents and lied under oath in a bid to avoid detection.

He resigned from NHS Ayrshire and Arran in 2009 over the misconduct.

A medical tribunal has decided he can return to work under supervision after making "major changes" to his life.

Dr Clark's misconduct came to light in May 2008 while he was employed as a locum at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock.

As part of his application for a permanent £100,000-a-year job, the Oxford-educated medic embellished his CV by claiming authorship of six academic publications which had been written by his friend.

Although he was not shortlisted for the position, the clinical director dealing with applications searched for the publications and discovered Dr Clark's claims were false.

The medic resigned after the health board raised concerns over the inaccuracies.

At a subsequent General Medical Council (GMC) misconduct hearing in 2011, the doctor claimed the CV claims were a result of a copy and paste "mistake".

He also prepared false documents to use as part of his defence.

After being found to have been deliberately dishonest, Dr Clarke was suspended for 12 months in March last year.

He was given the go-ahead to return to work, under conditions, following a review hearing at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester last week.

'Disbelief and horror'

Panel chair Dr Linda Buchanan said: "At the outset of your oral evidence, you apologised to the GMC and to the wider medical profession for your serious professional misconduct.

"You highlighted major changes to your life in the last 12 months. You have also told the panel that the issues in your case are now clear to you; the facts are indisputable.

"You recognised that there was serious professional misconduct on your part which was deplorable, wholly unacceptable and intolerable to the profession and the general public and patients.

"You now look back with bewilderment, disbelief and horror at your conduct at that time."

The conditions placed on Dr Clark include working under supervision within the NHS, attending a return to work programme and keeping the GMC informed of his work.

The terms will remain in place for 18 months, when he will have to attend another review hearing.