Drunk GP ‘caught with empty wine bottle in her desk after patients complained she was slurring’ gets suspended for three months

A GP who was caught drinking at work has been suspended for three months.

Dr. Catherine Aspinall was working at Westway Medical Center in Maghull, near Liverpool, in February 2022 when a patient raised the alarm about her behavior.

The practice staff then discovered that Dr. Aspinall reeked of alcohol and was so drunk that she couldn’t even stand or hold a coherent conversation.

Another paramedic reportedly found an empty wine bottle in her desk Liverpool Echowhich said she was caught slurring her words and repeating herself.

Dr. Aspinall, 38, then admitted to colleagues that he had “had a few sips” that morning.

A Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) hearing held last week found that Dr. Aspinall blamed the incident in part on stress from her workload and “long working hours.”

However, the court also heard that this was not the first time she had endangered the public by drinking inappropriately.

Dr. Aspinall had previously received a warning from the medical regulator for her behavior following a drink-driving conviction in 2016.

The court found that this was a “not dissimilar” episode of “impulsive and extremely poor judgment related to alcohol, which also endangered the public.”

Dr. Aspinall lost her job at the practice and was referred to the General Medical Council (GMC) over the incident in 2022.

At a hearing of the MPTS, which decides on cases investigated by the GMC, Dr. Aspinall admitted to both consuming alcohol on the job and treating patients while they were under the influence.

In a statement to the court, Dr. Aspinall described her own behavior as “horrible” and “disgusting”, adding that she had not drunk alcohol since.

Although the court found that Dr. Aspinall has worked as a deputy GP since the incident without any further problems, but the “serious misconduct” still warranted a sanction.

“The misconduct of Dr. Aspinall’s case was that she was significantly intoxicated during an operation,” they wrote.

“Their actions place patients at unwarranted potential risk of harm.”

The court also considered Dr. Aspinall’s previous drink driving conviction and an apparent lack of insight into her behavior resulting from that incident as an aggravating factor in this case.

While there had been no evidence of a repeat of her behavior since February last year, the court added that the doctor had not yet been exposed to the busy work environment that initially contributed to her drinking at work.

The representative of Dr. Aspinall argued for a suspension of just one to two months, stressing that the loss of her old job had already had a “serious impact on the family finances”.

But the court, which could have imposed a suspension of up to 12 months, ruled that three months was the “most appropriate and proportionate” sanction.

They argued this would address both the seriousness of the misconduct and Dr. Remind Aspinall and other medical professionals of the standards they are expected to adhere to.

She has 28 days to appeal the tribunal’s decision, and if she does so, she will be able to practice without restrictions during the proceedings.

A group of patients from Dr. Aspinall, who say they have benefited from their “dedicated care and expertise”, have already launched one petition to support the family doctor.

While the petition’s author, Maghull resident Suzanne Gordon, did not seek to overturn the tribunal’s decision, she called on the medical regulator to take a more compassionate approach in such cases.

“We believe that allegations of being under the influence of alcohol while treating patients should be addressed in a supportive rather than punitive manner,” she wrote.

“We want to address cases where GPs are accused of being under the influence of alcohol while carrying out their duties.”

While Ms Gordon acknowledged that patient safety was the top priority, she claimed sanctions could deter doctors from seeking help for alcohol abuse.

“It is critical for us as a society to recognize that stress can significantly contribute to poor judgments or coping mechanisms among health care professionals,” she wrote.

“We strongly believe that a supportive approach to physicians accused of alcohol-related misconduct will lead to better outcomes for both healthcare professionals and their patients.”

“Rather than focusing solely on punitive measures that can worsen existing stress levels or discourage physicians from seeking help when needed, we suggest implementing programs aimed at addressing mental health issues within the medical community.”

So far 50 people have signed the petition.

Dr. Aspinall has been contacted for comment.