GP ‘broke the law’ by prescribing tablets

Pensioner who had talked of suicide killed herself with drugs

By Lucy Collins

Published:

PRESCRIPTION: Dr Iain Kerr has “categorically” denied assisting a pensioner’s suicide

A GP who prescribed sleeping pills to a patient who had talked of killing herself broke the law, a medical expert said yesterday.

Glasgow GP Iain Kerr gave the pills to an 87-year-old woman who went on to commit suicide using different drugs he had prescribed her, the General Medical Council (GMC) heard.

The 61-year-old doctor told colleagues he was in favour of assisted suicide and had prescribed pills to the woman, known as Patient A, to enable her to end her life, the hearing in Manchester has been told.

Leonard Peter, medical expert for the GMC, said: “It’s clearly illegal to prescribe to a patient a drug with the intention that patient should use it to end their life.

“This is not a matter of clinical judgment . . . it’s the obligation on all doctors to oblige the law and act in the patient’s interests.”

He said it was an “extraordinary action” to give the sleeping pill sodium amytal to Patient A because it was effectively proscribed except in the case of severe and intractable insomnia.

Patient A, who had osteoporosis and chronic lower back pain and feared becoming a burden on her family, killed herself using a combination of temazepam and two other drugs in December 2005.

Mr Peter said Dr Kerr’s standard of care fell far below that expected of a GP.

Dr Kerr runs an independent practice at the Williamwood Medical Centre, Seres Road, Clarkston, Glasgow.

Rhonda Waters, his practice nurse, said in a statement: “She told me she had to see Dr Kerr so he could check her pills so he could see they were in date for when she wanted to die. I was really concerned when she told me this.”

Dr Kerr is accused by the GMC of supplying the suicidal pensioner with sleeping tablets so that she could take her own life.

He is also accused of inappropriate conduct after prescribing sleeping tablets to five other patients.

suicide

The hearing was told Dr Kerr wished to state “categorically” that it was not his intention to help Patient A end her life by prescribing her temazepam three days after she attempted suicide.

Mr Peter admitted he was incorrect in asserting that Dr Kerr broke the law when cross-examined by defence lawyer, Michael Mylones. He said he had mistakenly believed the Suicide Act 1961, which prohibits assisting suicide in England and Wales, applied to Scotland.

The hearing continues today. Patient A’s son is expected to give evidence by videolink.