The General Medical Council is to investigate 12 doctors who are all employed by Atos Healthcare, the firm which assesses people claiming disability benefit.

It is believed that most of the allegations involving the doctors concern their treatment of vulnerable people at the time the government's "work capability assessments" were being carried out. If it is found that they did not put the care of patients first, the doctors could be struck off.

The news that the doctors are under investigation raises fresh questions over the government's controversial welfare to work programme and about its commitment to Atos Healthcare which was recently criticised by the work and pensions select committee. The all-party committee said that too many people had failed to get the service from Atos that they were entitled to receive and that the test itself causes "fear and anxiety among vulnerable people".

Campaigners for the disabled have said that the news of the doctor's suspensions is further proof that the government has failed in its attempts to get more disabled off benefits and back to work. Richard Hawkes, chief executive of Scope, said that disabled people's confidence in the welfare to work programme was already low and would be hit further by the latest developments.

A GMC spokesman said: "We can and do take action to remove or restrict a doctor's right to practice if there have been serious failures to meet our standards."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/aug/13/atos-doctors-improper-conduct-disability