Dr Arun Singhal suspended for telling patient to kill herself Published duration 18 September 2014

A doctor who told a patient who was threatening to kill herself to "go and jolly well do it now" has been suspended for three months.

The actions of Dr Arun Singhal, a GP in Huyton, Liverpool, amounted to serious misconduct, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) found.

He also told the woman she could look up how to kill herself on the internet.

Dr Singhal was unaware that she had recorded the conversation on her mobile phone. He did not attend the tribunal.

The MPTS hearing in Manchester heard that in May 2011 the woman, referred to as Patient A, told Dr Singhal she felt like killing herself and her anti-depressant medication was not working.

He told her words to the effect that she should go home and kill herself, the hearing heard.

'Totally unacceptable'

In December 2011 she asked Dr Singhal for a sick note because she was frightened to give evidence as a witness in a rape trial.

When she told him she was contemplating suicide, the hearing heard that he told her: "You can go and jolly well do it now."

Dr Singhal then said: 'If you don't know how to do it, it's on the internet how to do it."

MPTS panel chair Eileen Carr said while Dr Singhal's medical treatment of Patient A had not been called into question his comments to a patient with a history of mental health concerns were "totally unacceptable and inappropriate".

She said: "The panel finds his conduct fell well below the standards expected of a medical practitioner and is satisfied that his behaviour amounts to serious misconduct."

The panel was disappointed it had not heard from Dr Singhal during its proceedings, with no evidence of an apology, insight or remediation.