Action will not be taken against a GP at risk of losing his job over his use of prayer with patients.

Dr Richard Scott, who works at Bethesda Medical Centre in Cliftonvile in Margate, was investigated by the General Medical Council after a complaint was made about the use of his Christian faith at the surgery in Palm Bay Avenue.

The matter was thrown out before it could proceed to a tribunal hearing.

But the GP, who has practised medicine with a 'spiritual angle' for 20 years with people suffering depression, anxiety or addiction, says it should never have been allowed to get that far.

He claims it all stems from an interview he did on Radio 4 for a series called the 'Battles that Won our Freedoms' in which he disclosed his use of prayer with patients.

"The great irony of that is someone listening didn't like what I was saying and complained to the National Secular Society, which complained to the GMC," he said.

"It's all very bizarre. This wasn't a complaint from a patient of mine.

"This is what I refer to as a vexatious complaint.

"The GMC should have just thrown it out or talked to me about it. Instead they chose to take it on as a fitness to practise investigation, which is simply wrong."

Dr Scott, whose wife also works at the Bethesda practice, says he offers spiritual advice to around one in 40 patients and claims around 90% accept.

He says prayer is offered if it might benefit a patient and sometimes he will pray for them or they might pray together.

"Quite often I offer prayer to my patients, but the National Secular Society don't like this," he said.

"The GMC should have just thrown it out or talked to me about it..." Dr Richard Scott

It is not the first time Dr Scott has had dealings with the GMC.

In 2012, he was officially warned by the council for discussing faith with a patient with the warning lasting five years on his record.

Committee members said his approach at the time was a "significant departure from the principles in good medical practice".

In 2013, the GP wrote a book about his battle with cancer from perspectives of both his medical and religious beliefs.

A spokesman for the National Secular Society says Dr Scott's Radio 4 comments only formed part of the complaint.

"At the beginning of January, we were contacted by a member of the public who was concerned because an acquaintance whom she described as 'highly vulnerable' was being treated at the practice and was made to feel uncomfortable by Dr Scott imposing his religious views," he said.

"We were told that the patient did 'not feel able to express discomfort at the use of prayer'.

"The complainant’s wish to remain anonymous means the evidence we provided was insufficient to prove that Dr Scott practised in breach of the guidance."

The spokesman says patients should have an expectation that they can access health care without having to put up with evangelism or having someone else’s religious beliefs imposed on them.

Commenting on the latest case, a GMC spokesman says they are unable to comment on cases which do not proceed to a tribunal hearing.

"What we can say in general terms, however, is that our ethical guidance sets out how doctors can balance their own personal beliefs with those of their patients," he said.

"The threshold at which we are required to open a case is prescribed in the legislation which governs the GMC’s regulatory functions.

"Where a complaint meets that threshold we are obliged to investigate."

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