'Right to die' doctor allowed back to work after six-month ban

Published on Friday 30 January 2009 21:21

A GP who gave sleeping pills to a patient so she could end her life will be allowed to work as a doctor again – but with restrictions on his practice, watchdogs ruled yesterday.

The General Medical Council (GMC) said that Dr Iain Kerr's fitness to practise as a GP in Glasgow was still impaired, following a six-month suspension imposed last year.

But the body yesterday ruled that he could resume work, although he would have conditions placed on his registration for the next 18 months.

These include a ban on Dr Kerr prescribing sleeping pills and sedatives.

Last July, Dr Kerr, 62, was suspended from practising medicine for six months after a hearing at the GMC.

In 1998, he prescribed sodium amytal tablets to an 87-year-old patient who had osteoporosis after she told him she had considered suicide. Though the patient did later kill herself, she did not use the pills given to her by Dr Kerr.

She had disposed of them when he was investigated over remarks he made in an appraisal, that his "achievements" included helping patients at the end of their lives.

The nine-day hearing in Manchester found he prescribed the woman sodium amytal "solely for the purpose of ending her life".

He was also criticised for failing to keep proper records when prescribing the drug to five other patients.

Although Dr Kerr was found guilty of misconduct following the hearing, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirmed that his practice in the Clarkston area of the city would remain open and he would be allowed to apply to be reinstated to the list of GPs in the area following his suspension.

With the suspension due to end next month, the GMC met again to consider whether his fitness to practise was still impaired.

Dr Kerr told the panel that he had re-evaluated his actions, and felt confident that he would be able to resist the "temptation" to repeat his misconduct.

He also told the GMC that he believed there was "no place for physician-assisted suicide in medical practice in this country within the current legal framework".

But the panel said they still had cause for concern about Dr Kerr's clinical practice.

"The panel is not satisfied that sufficient evidence has been adduced so that it can be certain that you are safe to resume unrestricted practice," they said.

Among 12 restrictions now placed of Dr Kerr's registration is a ruling that he must not prescribe barbiturates, benzodiazepines and co-proxamol tablets to his patients.

A GMC supervisor will also monitor his work, and he was told to keep a computerised record of all consultations and prescriptions.

WHAT NEXT

THE restrictions on Dr Kerr for 18 months include:

&#149 He must accept a GMC supervisor and allow the GMC to exchange information with his employer and supervisor.

&#149 He must tell the GMC if he applies to work outside the UK.

&#149 He must meet his supervisor regularly to review patient records and prescriptions.

&#149 He must produce a personal development plan to cover end-of-life care, record-keeping and safe-prescribing.

&#149 He must not prescribe barbiturates, benzo- diazepines or co-proxamol.

&#149 He must work for the NHS and not do any private practice.