Three consultants at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary who were referred to the General Medical Council after a controversial report into conduct at the flagship hospital have been cleared of any wrongdoing.
The medics have been told that no further action will be taken against them.
They were among eight consultants referred to professional regulators by NHS Grampian after a report it commissioned from the Royal College of Surgeons England was published.
The report found “significant numbers” of surgeons had shown “unprofessional, offensive and unacceptable behaviour” with rows between medics in front of trainees and patients among complaints.
However, the quality of the report has been criticised by some who claim it was partly based on hearsay and uncorroborated claims made by some staff.
Dr Donnie Ross, NHS Grampian’s medical director from 1994-2001, said there was now more “serious doubt” on the quality of the report given the GMC decisions and claimed staff had been subjected to “disproportionate disciplinary measures”.
He said: “I and several other people have very serious concerns about the quality of the evidence presented to the RCSE and the extent to which those allegations have been tested.
“The question arises, would they stand up in a court of law? And if not, how can such disproportionate disciplinary measures be justified?
“The fact that the GMC has cleared the three consultants means that yet more serious doubt is thrown on the RCSE Report and the quality of the evidence made available to them by NHS Grampian medical management.
“It also raises concerns that NHS Grampian appear to be using the GMC as a stick with which to beat their consultants.”
He said such referrals were likely to be “very traumatic” for the doctors and their families.
He said referrals had to be done after “very careful consideration” and should not be a substitute for good management.
It is understood that the three medics now cleared were not suspended from duty after being referred following allegations on conduct and not clinical issues.
Professor Zygmunt Krukowski and Dr Wendy Craig remain suspended from duty following their referral.
An NHS Grampian spokeswoman said the board would not comment on individual cases.
North-east labour MSP Lewis Macdonald said the Royal College had been “absolutely right” to carry out its investigations, which had been done by “most senior surgeons”.