Since 2002, he has been sitting at home on two-thirds of his £100,000 salary while the NHS trust paid locums to do his work, fought the case to the High Court and set up an independent inquiry. That panel ruled two years ago that Dr Mattu should be allowed to return to work but the hospital refused to accept the decision.

Yesterday, bosses finally agreed to let him back after a new management team took over. However, he will not be able to return immediately because of a stress-related complaint.

Mr Mattu, 47, said last night: 'After having five-and-a-half years of my life taken away from me, I struggle to express my relief and joy on being told that my suspension is at last lifted with immediate effect.

'This has been a terrible ordeal for me, my fiancée, family and friends.'

The official cost of the lay-off is put at £2.1million, but Mr Mattu's supporters say another £2million was spent on legal costs and £1million on the inquiry.

In a BBC TV interview in 2001, he accused Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry of cramming five patients into wards built for four. Eleven people died because they could not be reached in an emergency by resuscitation teams, he added.

The trust insisted he was suspended for bullying a junior doctor – an allegation Mr Mattu always denied.

The Walsgrave Hospital has now been replaced by the University Hospital.

A spokesman said: 'We have decided to lift Dr Mattu's suspension.'