A POLICE doctor carried out more than 50 medical examinations of Avon and Somerset cadet officers that fell below acceptable standards, an independent report concludes.

The force has apologised to victims of Dr Reginald Bunting, who died before he could face justice.

The report published today (Thursday) follows an investigation undertaken by retired Merseyside Police detective superintendent Tim Keelan.

Bunting was the force medical officer between 1990 and 1997 and worked for the force until 2004. He died aged 80 in 2013.

The investigation was commissioned by Avon and Somerset Police after a number of retired police officers raised concerns about the way initial recruitment medical examinations were carried out between 1987 and 2004.

During the investigation.

•835 people were spoken to.

•212 witnesses provided statements.

•1,734 documents were registered as part of the inquiry.

•1,822 actions are listed on the action log.

After the first concerns were raised in April 2015, Avon and Somerset Police referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which directed that the force should investigate the concerns.

However, the force felt it was more appropriate for an independent investigation to take place to examine the allegations and approached Merseyside Police to carry it out.

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesman said: "In responding to the investigation findings, we accept that of the 112 cases examined, 44 contained elements where the medical examination ‘fell below a common or acceptable standard for the time’.

"A further 10 cases were assessed as having fallen ‘woefully or grossly below common and acceptable standards of the time’.

"We also accept that the investigation revealed several missed opportunities where concerns had previously been raised to the constabulary.

"We referred this element back to the IPCC who are carrying out their own investigation."

Mr Keelan has made a total of seven recommendations.

Deputy Chief Constable Gareth Morgan said: “We apologise unreservedly to all the people affected, whether they raised concerns during the investigation or not, for failing to ensure acceptable medical conduct during their examinations.

“We fully recognise and are grateful to the individuals who came forward to raise their concerns back in April last year, and for all those who subsequently shared their account. They absolutely did the right thing.

“Anyone requiring a police medical examination held on police premises by a police doctor should have had an expectation of being safe.

"It is clear that the conduct of some of these medical examinations fell well below this standard.

“Because Dr Bunting died in 2013, two years before this investigation was launched, he did not have the opportunity to give an account to this investigation.

"For this reason, we are not going to hypothesise about whether or not we would have referred the case to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration of prosecution.

“Had Dr Bunting been alive, there would have been sufficient evidence to interview him under caution as a criminal suspect.

“These concerns represent an unresolved and unhealthy legacy for the force but we hope this independent investigation represents our commitment to investigate allegations of failings, face up to them and put measures in place to make sure they don’t happen again.

“We accept all the recommendations made in the report and have already implemented a number of changes to our policies and procedures to make these changes.

“We hope that Mr Keelan’s report can offer some closure to the people who have been affected, and reaffirms to the public that we will investigate concerns about our own staff in the same robust way we would if they were made about people outside the organisation.”

The report further identifies that some of the concerns raised related to examinations carried out by a physician other than Dr Bunting.

There are five other doctors identified, of which one is also dead.

None of the four doctors who are alive have been charged with any criminal offence and, at this stage, there is no intention to do so.

The force has however decided to notify the General Medical Council about the alleged conduct for them to consider any misconduct issues and professional learning.

TIMELINE.

April 2015: A number of retired officers approached the Avon and Somerset Constabulary Police Federation with concerns about the way initial recruitment medical examinations had been carried out between 1987 and 2004. The Federation referred the matter to Avon and Somerset Police (ASC).

April 2015: ASC referred the case to the IPCC who asked for more information.

July 2015: A further referral was made by ASC to the IPCC. The IPCC determined that the complaints should be invested by the force. ASC made the decision to seek an independent investigation to allow greater impartiality.

August 2015: Tim Keelan, a retired Merseyside Police detective superintendent was appointed as the independent senior investigation officer.

October 2015: ASC made third referral to the IPCC regarding information that complaints had been previously made to the Force about Dr Bunting’s conduct. As a result, the IPPC launched a separate independent investigation specifically into the handling of these complaints.

December 2016: Mr Keelan provided the constabulary with a findings report, as well as a detailed anonymised closure report.