A DOCTOR who cheated the NHS out of payouts for check-ups he didn't carry out has failed to be restored to the medical register.

Dr Shiv Dey, 54, claimed to have carried out a series of medical examinations on patients at his surgery in Burnley Road, Colne, when they never took place.

The GP, who began his career in Oswaldtwistle, was convicted of 14 offences of furnishing false information to East Lancashire Health Authority, at Burnley Crown Court in October 2000, for which he was fined £1,400 with £5,000 costs.

Dr Dey's name was struck off the medical register the following February, by a General Medical Council fitness to practise hearing.

He appealed against the sanction but law lords rejected his application, and told him his "irresponsible behaviour" was worthy of the punishment.

But now it has emerged that Dr Dey has appealed for his suspension to be lifted - at a private GMC hearing in Manchester - but this was again rejected by the GMC.

Dr Dey told the hearing he regretted his actions and now knew he had done wrong. He produced evidence that he had attended a number of seminars and lectures on probity and held several discussions with senior medical figures on the issue.

And Dr Dey said he had also been involved with the Colne Phoenix Kempo Ju-Jitsu Club, where he had been involved in handling finances, to a limited extent. He claimed he had been driven by a desire to achieve a 95 per cent target, in completing medical examinations on new patients, rather than making any financial gains. Previous court hearings have been told that Dr Dey had effectively risked his medical career for less than £100 profit. Rejecting Dr Dey's bid, GMC appeals panel chairwoman Mrs J Worthington said Dr Dey had still continued to blame others for his failings and had not expressed true remorse for his dealings.

Dr Dey has held an acupuncture clinic at his surgery, from 2002 to 2006, while a locum GP covered his 1,200 patient list. He qualified as a doctor in 1975 at the University of Delhi and came to England in 1978. In 1985 he became a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

In 1993 he started work as a GP in Oswaldtwistle, before accepting an invitation to join Dr G M Bhat's practice in Colne in 1995.

Dr Dey, of Castle Road, Colne, became the sole GP at the surgery in 1997 when Dr Bhat retired. New doctors are required to conduct examinations of their patients, for which they can expect payments from the regional health authority.