TOUGH rules to stop family doctors striking whole families off their lists have been proposed by MPs who investigated the case of a Leigh GP who refused to treat three members of the same family.

The House of Commons Public Administration Committee quizzed Dr Deepak Trivedi - chairman of the health Leigh Primary Care Group - who has surgeries in Westleigh and Abram, as it investigated the activities of the Health Service Ombudsman, Michael Buckley.

Mr Buckley has highlighted the case of Dr Trivedi, who struck off a female patient after a dispute between her and his wife and partner, Dr Alkah Trivedi.

The row escalated with other family members as he struck off her brother and her mother as well.

Earlier this year, at a heated session of the committee, Dr Trivedi claimed he was entirely correct to strike all three off.

But on Tuesday the committee makes clear its disagreement and calls for tough new rules to ensure that "GPs should only be permitted to remove patients from their lists as a last resort".

They want to change doctors' contracts and require them to give a reason for striking patients off and to obtain agreement from the health authority for such action.

They also want to prevent doctors removing other members of the patient's family from the list without good reason. The MPs recommend: "In the event of a breakdown of the doctor-patient relationship, GPs should not be able to remove other members of the patient's family, or other people connected with the patient, unless they are able to show that a similar breakdown has occurred with them as well."

The MPs want the information on the reasons for removal given to the patient and health authority and believes here should be a right of appeal to the health authority or an independent panel for all patients struck off.

The MPs say this is important as patients often have little choice but to register with the local doctor and de-registration leaves them "at a serious disadvantage".

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