However, following a reconvened meeting of the General Medical Council’s fitness to practise panel, sitting in Manchester at the weekend, Dr Miller was exonerated.

A spokeswoman for the GMC said today the panel “determined not to issue a warning in this case” and the conditions of the interim order imposed pending the full hearing were now lifted. “Basically, he is free to practise,” she said.

At the outset of the three-day hearing earlier this month, it emerged that Tayside health officials have had concerns about Dr Miller’s professional performance going back more than four years.

The GMC made public for the first time formal allegations against Dr Miller, known as Charles.

Concerns had been raised about his prescribing, clinical practice, record keeping, relations with colleagues and practice arrangements.

A preliminary GMC investigation previously found his professional practice to be “seriously deficient” in some areas.

Dr Miller continued to work at Ardler while under scrutiny, but has had a “mentor” supervising the work of his practice since December when the GMC imposed an interim order putting conditions on his licence to practise.

The formal allegations in the hearing revealed that Tayside health officials took action against Dr Miller over four years ago, though that action was not specified in the allegations. They further revealed that, because of the local action, the GMC took no further action in June 2002 but pointed out to Dr Miller that they could re-open his case if the local action did not resolve matters.

A few months later Tayside Primary Care NHS Trust offered further information raising concerns about Dr Miller’s professional performance and the GMC carried out assessments of his professional performance in 2003 and again in 2004.

The report of his professional performance dated December 2, 2004 said his performance was “unacceptable”' or a “cause for concern” in a number of different areas.

Earlier this month, a spokeswoman for the GMC said Dr Miller had admitted the allegations, but said the panel had to determine whether his conduct impaired his fitness to practise or not.

Speaking today Dr Miller said he wanted people to be reassured the quality of care was never compromised and patients remained loyal during the proceedings.

His double life as a house builder also did not compromise his patients. He worked at the surgery three days a week and had a substitute at other times so that patients could always see a doctor. The locum was “very heavily committed and involved” in the work of Ardler Surgery.

“I just want people in Ardler to be reassured they have, and always will get, good medical care and there was never any compromise at all,” said Dr Miller.