A village doctor who inappropriately prescribed strong sedatives to patients for up to eight years and made “derogatory” remarks about a fellow doctor is fit to practise, a health watchdog has ruled.
Dr David Syme was reported to the General Medical Council (GMC) by Dr Elizbeth Watson, his partner at the Killin Medical Practice, over concerns about his prescribing.
Dr Syme was also found to have made “derogatory” remarks about Dr Watson to other members of staff.
A tribunal heard he had a “fundamental blindspot” because he found it difficult to say no to patients.
It subsequently found his prescribing failures were not “of sufficient gravity” to be classed as misconduct as they did not “fall seriously below the standard expected of a medical practitioner”.
The panel will now consider if Dr Syme, who qualified in 1978, should be given a warning.