BIN lorry driver Harry Clarke broke the "bond of trust" between a patient and doctor when he failed to give full details about a previous black out, an inquiry has heard, reports Linzi Watson.

On the 27th and last day of an inquiry into the crash, and in a final criticism of the driver who has come under fire throughout, Advocate Malcolm McGregor, said that a "reasonable precaution" to avoid the crash would have been for Mr Clarke to give doctors an "accurate account" of the a black out behind the wheel of a bus 2010. 

Mr McGregor is representing Dr Gerard McKaig and Dr John Langan - who treated Mr Clarke at his GP practice - and Dr Joanne Willox who he saw as part of a DVLA licence renewal medical assessment. 

The inquiry has previously heard that Mr Clarke lost consciousness while working as a driver for First Bus in April 2010.

A passenger reported the black out to a First Bus inspector. 

But Mr Clarke "misled" doctors - and later employers Glasgow City Council and the DVLA - on a number of occasions by failing to disclose the details, it has been heard. 

Instead Mr Clarke told GP Dr McKaig that he passed out in a hot canteen leading to the episode being categorised it as a "simple faint" which did not require any further action by the DVLA.

On December 22, 2014 Mr Clarke again lost consciousness, this time behind the wheel of a 26-tonne council bin lorry that careered out of control and killed six people. 

Mr McGregor said there is a "bond of trust" between a patient and doctor which relies on the patient "telling the truth".

He added: "Mr Clarke failed to advise Dr McKaig and Dr Langan of the true circumstances of his faint in 2010.

"There is a disparity between the account provided to them and what appears to be the correct version of events."

Mr Clarke was told not to drive, immediately after the 2010 event, by First Bus bosses, pending medical investigations. 

Another doctor in the GP practice, Dr Langan, then received a letter from First Bus medic Dr Kenneth Lyons asking for more information.

Dr Lyon's letter included the information that the black out happened on a bus - a different account to that provided to another GP in the practice - but this "discrepancy" in location wasn't picked up on. 

Mr McGregor said: "A reasonable precaution would have been for Henry Clarke to inform his GP of the accurate account of his loss of consciousness in 2010.

"There is no reasonable precaution that could have been taken as far as doctors Langan, McKaig and Willox are concerned."

Advocate Helen Watts, representing First Bus doctor, Dr Lyons, said that he was provided with "limited material" with which to make a decision about Harry Clarke's driving. 

She said: "Having regard to the information provided Dr Lyons, his actions were understandable and reasonable."

She said: "It is not accepted that anything Dr Lyons did can be linked to the events of December 22, 2014."

Those representing the doctors all offered their sympathies and condolences to the families of those killed.