Tribunal: GP’s evangelism of teenage patient was misconduct

A complaint against a GP who tried to evangelise a vulnerable teenage patient with mental health problems has been upheld by a medical tribunal.

The 19-year-old patient, who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, attended Dr Richard Scott's surgery at Bethesda Medical Centre in Margate last year due to poor mental health. Scott declined to prescribe medication and asked to discuss a "spiritual" approach.

The teenage patient said he was "taken aback" and felt "uneasy" when Scott began talking about Christianity. He claimed Scott told him he needed to "reconnect" with God, clasped his hands in prayer and gave him a bible as he left. The patient's mother subsequently lodged a complaint against Scott.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) ruled Scott had "overstepped the boundaries" and his behaviour amounted to misconduct. The MPTS assesses complaints against doctors and decides whether they are fit to practice medicine. They will now consider whether to issue him with a formal warning letter.

Scott has previously admitted that he introduces faith into consultations with people with depression or anxiety as "most people are desperate, they'll at least listen". He has had "about 10" previous complaints for imposing his religious views on patients.

Last year, he was ordered by NHS England to take a professional boundaries course following concerns raised by the National Secular Society. An acquaintance of a "highly vulnerable" patient contacted the NSS after Dr Scott made her feel "discomfort at the use of prayer".

In 2012, the General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates doctors, found Scott had told a patient "his own religion could not offer him any protection" and he would suffer "for the rest of his life" if he did not "turn towards Jesus".

The GMC found Scott had "caused the patient distress through insensitive expression" of his religious beliefs" and that his actions constituted a "significant departure from Good Medical Practice". In a 2019 interview, Scott said he had not changed his approach. In 2022, Scott said "to be discouraged by medical regulatory bodies would just seem wrong".

GMC guidance tells doctors: "You must not express your personal beliefs (including political, religious and moral beliefs) to patients in ways that exploit their vulnerability or are likely to cause them distress."

Update: The MPTS have decided to issue Dr Scott with a formal fitness to practise warning. This is now his second warning.

NSS: Patients must be protected from 'exploitative evangelism'

NSS campaigns officer Dr Alejandro Sanchez said: "NHS patients rightly expect to receive healthcare without having someone else's religious beliefs imposed on them. Evangelism that targets people who are ill or vulnerable is exploitative and patients should be protected from it.

"We therefore welcome the MPTS's decision that Dr Scott's evangelism of a vulnerable teenage patient amounted to misconduct. This was the latest in a litany of complaints against Dr Scott for imposing his religious views on patients – we hope it will be the last.

"Guidance for doctors on this matter is clear. It will have been explained to Dr Scott on the professional boundaries course he was made to attend last year. He should now abide by it."