GP took her own life after suspension over bipolar blog

A GP who had been diagnosed with a mental health condition hanged herself following her suspension from work, an inquest has found.

Dr Wendy Potts, 46, from Chapel-en-le-Frith, High Peak, Derbyshire, was found dead at her home in Hayfield Road, on 24 November 2015.

Assistant Coroner James Newman found she had been under "significant pressures" at the time of her death.

He criticised Ms Potts' suspension, according to .

National concerns

The newspaper said she was suspended after a patient read her blog about suffering from bipolar disorder.

On Monday, at Chesterfield Coroners' Court, Mr Newman told the inquest: "It seems to me the suspension and investigation was something of a sledgehammer being used to crack a nut.

"The investigation process lost sight that Dr Potts was a human being."

In concluding a verdict of suicide, Mr Newman said he would be writing to the surgery, NHS England and and the General Medical Council raising concerns about what happened.

The GMC said the case had been dealt with locally and it had only been informed following Dr Potts' death. However it said it was working with GPs and trusts nationally to improve how mental health was handled within the profession.

NHS England has been asked for a comment.