A GP who gave sleeping pills to an elderly patient who had said she would commit suicide has been suspended from practising medicine for six months.

Family doctor Iain Kerr was found guilty of misconduct yesterday.

The 61-year-old Clarkston GP's actions were "akin to handing her a noose with which to hang herself at a time of her choosing", said Suzanne Goddard QC, counsel for the General Medical Council. "That is not the role of a doctor."

Dr Kerr, 61, based at Williamwood Health Centre in Clarkston, was criticised by a GMC panel for prescribing 30 sodium amytal pills to the woman.

Panel members found his actions to be "inappropriate, irresponsible, liable to bring the profession into disrepute".

The same ruling was made against him for failing to refer the retired businesswoman, known as Patient A, to hospital after she overdosed on Temazepam tablets in December 2005.

Two days later the GP prescribed more tablets, and the 87-year-old killed herself, using Temazepam, two weeks after her failed suicide bid.

Panel chairman John Donnelly said previously: "Patient A was an elderly lady who made her end-of-life wishes quite clear, in that she did not want to become a burden upon her family."

He added Dr Kerr's decision to give her a "substantial amount" of Temazepam just days after her overdose was "illogical".

Dr Kerr earlier told the hearing he had given the woman sleeping pills as an "insurance policy".

He added: "She said give me something that I can take if things get too bad' and I said yes."

The panel found the woman was determined to end her own life.

But they ruled Dr Kerr's actions brought the profession into disrepute for not making a record of why he had prescribed sodium amytal pills to four patients and for poor record-keeping in relation to a fifth patient.

Mr Donnelly told Dr Kerr: "On the basis of the facts proved, your fitness to practise is impaired by your misconduct."