GP suspended over sleeping pills for suicidal patient

A GP who gave sleeping pills to an elderly patient so she could kill herself was suspended from practising medicine for six months today.

Dr Iain Kerr, 61, prescribed 30 sodium amytal pills to the former businesswoman in 1998 after she told him she had considered suicide.

The General Medical Council found that the Glasgow GP's fitness to practise was impaired by virtue of his misconduct and branded his actions "inappropriate, irresponsible, liable to bring the profession into disrepute and not in your patient's best interest".

Dr Kerr, speaking after the hearing, said: "I very much regret the circumstances that brought me here before the General Medical Council and regret any inconvenience to my patients as a result of the investigation.

"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.

"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."

He continued, in a choked voice: "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."

Dr Kerr smiled and said "no comment" when asked whether he still believed the "law is an ass".