HEALTH chiefs in Scotland are to review the clinical records of patients treated by fake Workington psychiatrist Zholia Alemi, whose 22-year bogus career was exposed by the News & Star.

The Scottish government has asked consultant psychiatrists to identify decisions made by Alemi so they can support patients.

The News & Star’s investigation last year revealed how the 56-year-old began her NHS career after using forged qualifications. She falsely claimed to have qualified as a doctor in New Zealand.

Her most recent NHS job was in a Workington dementia clinic.

Officials have confirmed that she treated 250 elderly patients during her eight month stint working for the NHS in west Cumbria. She treated nearly 400 patients with one Scottish health board alone.

She worked as an agency locum old age psychiatrist at Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust between October 19, 2015 and June 6, 2016, and officials say background checks were done.

Alemi spent years working for the NHS in Scotland.

In a new development, the Scottish government has confirmed its NHS boards are to write to former Alemi patients . Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “I know that this will be extremely upsetting for people and their families.

“The General Medical Council now has processes in place to ensure that this won’t happen again. I also wish to reassure people that the remainder of their care and treatment was delivered by fully qualified doctors.

“If anyone affected has any further questions, they can get in touch with their local board.”

The review comes two months after Cumbria Police confirmed that detectives arrested a 56-year-old woman - known to be Alemi - as part of a new investigation into possible frauds.

She was quizzed by detectives.

At the time, Cumbria Police said: “Detectives investigating fraud offences formally arrested a 56-year-old woman.”

She was arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation, obtaining a pecuniary advantage and possession of criminal property.

The statement added: “Officers also conducted searches of addresses in Burnley, Huddersfield and Omagh in Northern Ireland as part of this investigation.”

The General Medical Council, the UK’s medical regulator, checked the qualifications of 3,000 other doctors from Commonwealth countries after the News & Star’s revelations.

No similar cases of bogus NHS doctors have been found.