A LEADING doctor obtained drugs illegally from a high street chemist and stole books from Chorley Hospital, a medical tribunal heard.

Dr Gregory Dilliway was the subject of a misconduct and fitness to practise hearing at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.

Previously he had performed “a strategic role in public health” and was a former director of the British Medical Association (BMA).

Dr Dilliway, who is 50, was the subject of several allegations which included dishonestly obtaining medications from Boots the Chemist in Market Walk, Chorley in August 2010.

The tribunal heard that Dr Dilliway knew the prescription was not genuine and had been issued to him as a replacement for one he had reported lost and had subsequently found.

It was also alleged that Dr Dilliway stole library books from Chorley and District General Hospital in May 2011.

Other allegations included failing to inform the General Medical Council (GMC) that he had been charged with an offence of theft and issuing several private prescriptions.

Dr Dilliway was at one time the joint deputy chairman of the BMA’s staff and associate specialist committee.

He lived in Lancashire and was a consultant on public health but did not have direct responsibility for patients.

He had voluntarily written to the GMC with a request to be struck off.

He said his return to practise would be “unethical” and “unsafe”.

The panel report stated: “His alleged misconduct involves issues of honesty and probity, namely self prescribing, dishonestly obtaining medication, and failing to inform that he had been charged with theft.”

The panel agreed to his application for voluntary erasure and his name was struck off from the medical register with immediate effect.