A CATALOGUE of abuse which led to a podiatrist being struck off has been revealed after a disciplinary hearing.

Peter Collins said one patient “wanted shooting”

and another was “soft”.

Mr Collins, a former crack cocaine user, was struck off for a number of failings in patient treatment, communication and record keeping while working as a podiatrist in the for NHS Bolton.

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) conduct and competence committee heard he did not provide prompt treatment for two patients and was disrespectful and unfriendly to patients.

Gillian Fleming, the panel’s chairman, said: “We are satisfied that comments were made which were disrespectful and unfriendly by Mr Collins in relation to a visit by the patient to her GP and when he stated the patient ‘wanted shooting’.”

Mr Collins, who worked at Waters Meeting Health Centre, said he felt more vulnerable than an elderly patient because patient complaints were usually upheld by the trust.

The panel also heard Mr Collins deliberately failed to keep accurate records, including indicating he had treated a patient who had died several months earlier.

Mr Collins, from Ashtonin- Makerfield, admitted using crack cocaine over a five-year period, including the time he was employed by NHS Bolton between 1994 and 2010, but he said did not use drugs while on duty. He had not used drugs since last February.

The complaints were made in 2009.

Ms Fleming said: “The proved facts disclose serious attitudinal failings by Mr Collins against a background of concerns and issues, which were raised with him by his line manager, without any noticeable improvement in his attitude towards colleagues and patients.

“The record keeping failures are capable of remediation, but the attitudinal failings and dishonesty are less easily remediable.” Mr Collins has been struck off the register.

NHS Bolton sacked the Mr Collins following an investigation into the allegations.

A spokesman said: “As soon as concerns regarding this case were raised, we suspended the employee while an investigation was carried out.

“Following that process, the employee was dismissed from the organisation.”

● Last month The Bolton News reported that Mr Collins was given a ninemonth sentence, suspended for two years, and a 12- month supervision order.

He admitted a charge of affray for pinning his now estranged wife to a wall at her home in Tonge Fold, Bolton, holding a knife to her throat and threatening to kill her.