A FAMILY doctor accused of issuing a bogus sick note has said he will "strongly contest" the allegations against him.

Dr Anand, a Newcastle GP and advocate of complementary medicine, is one of five GPs to face fitness to practice hearings next week before a General Medical Council (GMC) panel.

It follows an investigation by The Sunday Times two years ago into how easily false sick notes could be obtained.

As part of an organised "sting" operation, undercover journalists posing as patients were sent into GP surgeries across the country.

As a result of information passed to the medical authorities, the GMC asked the five GPs to attend fitness to practice hearings at its London headquarters on Monday.

Dr Anand, who has practised at the Elmfield Health Group surgery in Gosforth, Newcastle, since 1983, is facing allegations that he "acted in a manner which was inappropriate, dishonest and an abuse of his position, when providing a sickness certificate to an undercover journalist who had made clear that illness was not the basis of the request".

Last night, Dr Anand, speaking exclusively to The Northern Echo, insisted that the allegation was without foundation and relied on a poor quality, highly selective tape recording.

"The recording has been edited in a certain way and I very, very strongly contest the allegations," the doctor said.

"I did not give her a sick note. I did not take the bribe offered. I even made a double 20-minute appointment with her to explore the issues she had raised during the consultation," he said.

The Tyneside GP, who has taught complementary medicine to students at Newcastle Medical School for 20 years, said he became suspicious about his "patient" during the brief consultation.

It is alleged by the newspaper that Dr Anand issued a sick note to an undercover reporter, who had asked for one so that she could go on holiday.

The article alleged that Dr Anand said he would give the reporter a sick note saying she had a chest infection, but this is denied by the GP.

Apart from his medical activities, Dr Anand set up an Anglo-Indian cultural group called Gurukul, which aims to teach youngsters in the North-East how to play and enjoy Indian classical music.

The GMC has warned that any doctors found to have behaved in a dishonest fashion face being struck off the medical register.

The Sunday Times failed to respond to a Northern Echo request for its comments.