A HULL doctor and former chairman of the city's top health board is being investigated by the General Medical Council. Dr Anupam Banerjee, who is best known as east Hull GP Tony Banerjee, has been suspended from the medical register and may not practise as a doctor in the UK.
The suspension came into effect on November 5 and will continue until the investigation is finished.
The General Medical Council (GMC) will then decide if the investigation warrants a "fitness to practise" hearing.
A spokesman for the GMC said: "We can confirm that Dr Banerjee is under investigation at this time.
"However, we cannot give details of the nature of the investigation.
"This case has been referred to the interim orders panel."
The interim orders panel forms part of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.
Cases are referred to the panel to look at whether a doctor's registration should be restricted while allegations about their conduct are resolved.
The GMC refers cases to the panel when doctors are facing allegations where it may be necessary for the protection of members of the public, or it may be in the public interest or in the interests of the doctor for their registration to be restricted.
In August, Dr Banerjee, 33, told the Mail he was leaving his role as chairman of NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
He said it was with a "heavy heart" that he was leaving the board – a group of local doctors and medical professionals who decide how money is spent on healthcare in Hull.
Speaking to the Mail at the time, he said: "It is with a really heavy heart I'm having to do it. But it has been so hard juggling my two roles as GP and as CCG chairman.
"There has been increasing pressures on both roles and I feel as though I've been pulled in two different directions.
"But I've really enjoyed my time as chairman.
"I'm disappointed I'm leaving."
However, a source in the healthcare profession said he left because his colleagues had a lack of confidence in his abilities.
The source said: "He left at a time when the GMC stuff was bubbling in the background.
"They didn't have confidence in him and it was becoming controversial [to have him in the role]."
Earlier this year Dr Banerjee raised more than £10,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham.
The former University of Leicester student ran seven 10ks in seven days, ending with a fundraising event on the last evening.
He is also well known to patients in east Hull and is one of the partners at Marfleet Group Practice in Preston Road.
His name is still listed on the plaque outside the practice's base.
The Mail made several attempts to contact Dr Banerjee before going to press, but was unable to speak to him.
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