Dr Satya Gupta is being investigated by the NHS's anti-corruption unit

One of the highest-paid GPs has been banned from practising amid suspicions he has been fraudulently claiming money for patient treatments.

Dr Satya Gupta, who made £270,000 in a year, is being investigated by the NHS's anti-corruption unit and has been suspended for up to 18 months by the General Medical Council.

He raised suspicion after making huge profits from a practice in one of Britain's poorest inner-city areas  -  Hackney in north-east London.

His earnings were linked to a scheme that pays family doctors for accruing points for hitting targets, such as measuring blood pressure, giving vaccinations and carrying out cholesterol checks.

But his points total for 2006/2007 has been slashed from 884.62 out of a possible 1,000, to 798.62 following an audit, giving him the second lowest score for a practice in his area.

Ways of over-inflating scores could include claiming that patients have had checks or treatments when they haven't.

The discrepancy is being examined by the NHS Business Service Authority's counter-fraud team, which in recent years has prosecuted more than 400 doctors, dentists and other health workers for financial irregularities.

He is also subject to a ban by GMC's fitness to practise panel. 

Dr Gupta, who is in his 60s and lives in the expensive north London suburb Barnet, retired from the Oldhill Medical Centre in Stamford Hill in August of last year.

He has previously admitted his surgery took £270,000 a year from the NHS  -  but insisted his take-home pay was £130,000 after staff costs.

'I have two other doctors and two locums who I pay out of that amount,' he said at the time.

'Mine alone is about £130,000...I have 9,000 patients on my books. There needs to be at least three doctors for that number.

'Everything I do is above board. I run my surgery in the most professional manner. It's nobody's business but mine what I earn.'

The investigation comes amid growing anger about GPs pay. Terms of a controversial contract introduced in 2004 mean they earn more for doing less.

Their pay has shot up 58 per cent to an average of £113,164 but they are seeing fewer patients and working seven fewer hours a week.

However, patients are left trying to pick their way through an out-of-hours maze, with many passed from pillar to post while urgently trying to contact a doctor in the evening or at the weekend.

In addition, the lack of evening and weekend surgeries means those working full-time often have no option other than take time off work to see their GP during the day  -  at the annual cost to the economy of £1billion.

The contract allows GPs to earn a third of their income by hitting targets supposed to measure quality of care. These include cholesterol and blood pressure checks and administering flu jabs.

The Government had estimated GPs would meet 70 per cent of the targets, but in fact they are meeting 90 per cent.

Doctors have also been criticised by taking more profit from surgery business.

About 40 per cent of income used to be taken in profit, with the rest used to pay staff and bills but this has now gone up to 45 per cent.

A relative of Dr Gupta's last night said he was not willing to comment.