GP who had one night stand with patient is suspended for a month

A GP who had a one night stand with a depressed patient and reported herself to the General Medical Council after her husband found out has been suspended for one month by a fitness to practise tribunal.

Jean Paton Ker, 41, gave her mobile phone number to a 40 year old male patient who was depressed after the break-up of his relationship. She told a panel of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service that she had feared he might be suicidal and gave him the number after he said that he was reluctant to call the mental health crisis team.

She had already increased the dosage of his antidepressant medication after he said that he feared he would feel worse over the coming 2013 Christmas period. He texted her …