A child psychiatrist has been suspended for a year after being found guilty of serious professional misconduct.
Children with ADHD find it hard to concentrate
Dr Patrick Cosgrove, from Bath, criticised fellow doctors and alleged a hospital inquiry was a whitewash, the General Medical Council was told.
The inquiry heard Dr Cosgrove was a leading expert in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
He was criticised for not monitoring patients to whom he had prescribed drugs in the treatment of ADHD.
The criticism and inquiry allegations were made in letters, written between 1996 and 2003 when Dr Cosgrove worked at the Bristol Priority Clinic.
Professor Norman Mackay said the comments were "unprofessional, unsustainable and likely to cause the reader to doubt the knowledge and skills" of the doctors.
He said: "The committee have found that the nature of this correspondence goes far beyond what amounts to robust criticism and that he acted in a wholly
unprofessional manner in sending those letters.
"(We) consider that Dr Cosgrove has not demonstrated any remorse or insight into his behaviour."
He added: ""Dr Cosgrove prescribed drugs to patients but did not take appropriate steps to monitor the patients whilst they were taking the drugs prescribed.
"As such, he acted irresponsibly and not in the best interests of the patients."
The committee found allegations of a hospital whitewash relating to an inquiry following the treatment of a young boy by Oxfordshire Mental Healthcare Trust, to be "unsustainable".
The GMC ruled that despite having retired from medical practice, Dr Cosgrove should be suspended for 12 months, effective immediately.