The head of Bradford's health watchdog has called for a public inquiry into the way patients are treated in prison, following the case of a prison doctor who was struck off for serious professional misconduct.

The General Medical Council's Professional Conduct Committee heard that Dr John Anthony Sykes, of Cleckheaton, had "improper" relationships with inmates at Armley jail and touched and massaged one prisoner's genitals.

Dr Sykes, 48, of Scholes worked at Armley from 1997 until 2001. On Tuesday he was found guilty of serious professional misconduct.

The GMC committee heard how he carried out intimate examinations on inmates without a chaperone or clinical justification. Dr Sykes's relationship with two prisoners was described as "clearly improper".

Now Bradford Community Health Council chairman Les Vasey is calling for a public inquiry into how patients are treated at the prison. "This was a horrendous breach of trust and we need to know why it happened and why it took so long to come to light," he said.

"Lessons need to be learned from this. This is about the rights of vulnerable patients within the prison system."

Mr Vasey said the Prison Service should be scrutinised by an outside source and local authorities should take more interest in the care of prisoners.

"Social services have a specific responsibility in this area," he said.

He plans to put the issue on the agenda at the next CHC meeting. Mr Vasey's work with Bradford CHC involves protecting vulnerable inmates in Armley prison and ensuring they receive treatment comparable with that given to people outside.

Former prison nurse Edna Scott, who gave evidence at Dr Sykes's hearing, agreed that an external body should carry out checks inside the prison.

"It should be done by someone who has nothing to do with the Home Office - someone totally unbiased and not medically orientated," she said.

A Home Office spokesman said the Prison Service would have fully investigated the allegations at the time.

"I don't think there's anything further we would be able to comment on in terms of this particular case," he said.

"It's up to the GMC to decide who it allows to be members, not for us to comment in general on a public inquiry."