Suspension for 'suicide' case GP

Dr Iain Kerr was found guilty of misconduct

A Glasgow GP has been suspended for six months by the General Medical Council after prescribing sleeping tablets to a suicidal patient.

Dr Iain Kerr, from Williamwood Medical Centre in Clarkston, had been found guilty of misconduct by the GMC's Fitness to Practise Panel.

The 61-year-old was also found to have acted inappropriately over prescribing drugs to four other patients.

His record-keeping was criticised in relation to a sixth patient.

Speaking after the hearing in Manchester, Dr Kerr said he regretted the circumstances and the inconvenience to his patients.

"The Fitness to Practise Panel has carefully considered all the facts and the evidence and I am grateful to them for taking into account the exceptional and unusual circumstances advanced on my behalf," he said.

"I am particularly grateful to family, friends, colleagues and patients for their continuing support and in particular I would like to single out for praise the staff of the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland.

The panel is of the opinion that you allowed your views in respect of physician-assisted suicide to influence your treatment of patient A John Donnelly GMC Fitness to Practice Panel

"The only other person I really want to thank in my name is my wife who has been a great support to me during this period. I have nothing more to say."

The GMC panel found the doctor's misconduct focused on several key areas.

It found he prescribed the retired businesswoman, known as Patient A, with the sleeping tablet sodium amytal in 1998 "solely for the purpose of ending her life".

The panel also said he showed poor clinical management after she took an overdose of a different drug in 2005.

The panel said he prescribed sodium amytal without adequate reason and contrary to guidance, and that he failed to make adequate notes.

The hearing was also told that Dr Kerr prescribed sodium amytal pills to five other patients, despite the fact that four of them did not suffer from insomnia.

Medical guidelines state that the powerful sleeping pills should be used to treat only "severe and intractable insomnia".

The five patients were four women aged 75, 76, 72 and 61 and a man aged 73.

The Fitness to Practise Panel has carefully considered all the facts and the evidence and I am grateful to them for taking into account the exceptional and unusual circumstances advanced on my behalf Dr Iain Kerr

One of the women suffered from depression, another was terminally ill, another had heart problems and the man had a drink problem.

The GMC panel found Dr Kerr acted inappropriately by not making a record of why he prescribed sodium amytal pills to four patients.

It also said he had not kept proper records in relation to a fifth patient.

The chairman of the Fitness to Practice Panel, John Donnelly, told him: "The panel is of the opinion that you allowed your views in respect of physician-assisted suicide to influence your treatment of patient A.

"You made a serious misjudgement and embarked on a potentially criminal act.

"It is an important task of the panel to maintain public confidence in the profession and to uphold proper standards of conduct.

'Sufficient sanction'

"This case is serious and it is necessary in the public interest to mark the panel's disapproval of your behaviour."

Mr Donnelly said it was important for the panel to send a message to the medical profession that this type of behaviour was unacceptable.

He added: "The panel is of the view that given the range of mitigating factors, a suspension of your registration, for a period of six months, is sufficient to maintain public confidence in the profession, protect the public and uphold proper standards of professional conduct and behaviour, and is a proportionate and sufficient sanction."

Dr Kerr was investigated by local health authorities after saying during an appraisal in 2004 that his "achievements" included helping patients at the end of their lives.

Strathclyde Police took no action after finding there was "insufficient evidence".

There is no legislation in Scotland on suicide. Those who assist another to commit suicide are usually charged with culpable homicide.

The Suicide Act 1961, which prohibits assisting suicide, applies only in England and Wales.