THE GENERAL Medical Council reacted swiftly to reassure patients who were treated - entirely illegally - by Zholia Alemi.

As a consultant psychiatrist - with a salary of up to £103,000 - she would have diagnosed metal health conditions, prescribed powerful drugs, and sanctioned patient detentions.

To meet the concerns of those patients affected, the GMC has issued the following:

Who do I speak to if I was treated by Zholia Alemi?

“Speak to the GP surgery, hospital or clinic where you were treated, within their working hours. They will give you the best advice on your care. There are also a organisations who can support you – see our website pages for specific contact details.”

For further information, call the GMC contact centre (open Monday - Friday: 8am – 5.30pm; Saturday: 9am - 5pm. The number is 0161 923 6602).

Who do I speak to if I have concerns about my treatment?

“We have information on our website to help you identify the right organisation to speak to. Firstly, we recommend contacting the GP surgery, hospital or clinic where you were treated.”

The statement adds: “It is clear that in this case, the steps taken at the time she joined the register were inadequate and we apologise for any risk arising to patients as a result.

“We are confident that, 23 years on, our systems are robust and would identify any fraudulent attempt to join the medical register.” For more, log on to the GMC website.