DEVON Primary Care Trust wants to "draw a line under the case and consider the matter closed", and Dr Roger Stephenson says he is "delighted that at last common sense and justice have prevailed."
Dr Kevin Snee, PCT chief executive, commented: "It is wholly inaccurate to state that the ruling made by Mr Justice Barton indicated that it was wrong to remove Dr Stephenson from his practice.
"Mr Justice Burton took a view only on the legal aspects of the family health services appeal authority ruling, and the judgement did not relate to the conditions imposed on Dr Stephenson in terms of his period of supervision.
"The implied link between the High Court decision and the fact that Dr Stephenson subsequently lost the contract to offer GP services in Bow is incorrect.
"During 2008/9 the relationship between Dr Stephenson and Dr Andrew Bower broke down, so their joint contract to provide GP services could not continue.
"Dr Stephenson challenged this interpretation of the contract at the appeal unit of the NHS litigation authority. The authority found in favour of Devon PCT, and the contract at Bow surgery came to an end of March 31, 2009.
"The PCT had, by then, tendered the contract and both doctors were at liberty to apply to run the service. Dr Stephenson did not complete the application process.
"As to Dr Stephenson's time working at the Exeter practice, Dr Stephenson was required to attend a training practice for assessment and to undertake a personal development plan, the content of which was agreed with Dr Stephenson, the National Clinical Assessment Services (NCAS), the Peninsula deanery and the PCT.
"There has never been a campaign against Dr Stephenson," he said. "The actions of Devon PCT have at all times sought to ensure patient safety."
Dr Snee said the PCT wanted to "draw a line under the case and consider the matter closed". He said that at the end of Dr Stephenson's placement (in Exeter) he was assessed as having met the majority of his assessment targets including most of the clinical requirements and as such his conditions were lifted and he was allowed to return to full clinical practice.
"In the light of this the PCT took the view that it was not necessary to contest Dr Stephenson's appeal to the family health services appeal authority (FHSAA) since the conditions had already been met or lifted.
"The High Court case has concerned itself with how the FHSAA should have dealt with the outstanding appeal and did not involve the Court considering the evidence which was before the PCT."
Dr Snee added that Devon PCT took its role in commissioning services of a high standard most seriously. It was disappointed with the comments made by Mr Justice Burton who had said "there must be something behind it all".
"There was something behind this - the desire to ensure patient safety above all else. In this we remain entirely confident that instigating the investigation of Dr Stephenson and requiring him to undertake a period of supervised practice was appropriate, proportionate and in the interests of patients," said Dr Snee.
Dr Stephenson said he was "absolutely delighted that at last common sense and justice have prevailed."
He explained that he had been forced to quit Bow Surgery. where he had worked for 16 years, following allegations made against him by a junior colleague.
"I have always denied these allegations," he said. "The General Medical Council ruled in my favour in May last year but the PCT has still been determined to get ride of me.
"This decision by the High Court will at last enable me to get a proper investigation into the whole PCT campaign, to clear my name and restore my reputation."
Dr Stephenson said the PCT had persistently refused to allow him to challenge the allegations made against him.
"The PCT will have to pay more than £20,000 (his costs and those of the PCT) for the High Court case. But this is only a fraction of what it has spent already on removing me and relocating the surgery to the Portakabins.
"It is telling that so far the PCT has been unwilling to reveal exactly how much it has spent on legal fees alone," he said.
Dr Peter Selley, who took over the Bow Practice from Dr Bruce Marsden in 1981, said he was delighted with the news. He worked in partnership with Dr Stephenson for 15 years before retiring in July 2007.
"Roger is an excellent doctor, popular with patients and colleagues. He has been treated appallingly. The PCT's highly public criticism of him reflected on my time in the practice, so I am glad the PCT's action has been reversed by the High Court."
Dr Selley hoped Devon PCT would issue Dr Stephenson a public apology. S Read