A HEREFORD doctor has been suspended after repeatedly saying 'porky sausages' to another doctor and accusing her of filling a kettle with 'dirty water'.
Dr Colathor Eshwari was handed a six-month suspension for misconduct by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in March.
The tribunal panel heard that Dr Eshwari was accused of behaving inappropriately towards another doctor, Dr A, while working at Hereford County Hospital on November 8, 2019, refusing to give Dr A her name, saying the phrase 'porky sausages' on one or more occasions, and telling her not to make a kettle dirty with her 'dirty water'.
The General Medical Council alleged that Dr Eshwari's actions had the potential to cause offence, and that she had demonstrated hostility based on Dr A's race or religion.
Dr Eshwari did not admit any of the allegations.
The tribunal heard Dr A had just moved in to a flat provided by Wye Valley NHS Trust, which she would be sharing with Dr Eshwari, at the time.
Dr A said she had attempted to introduce herself to Dr Eshwari, but that Dr Eshwari refused to give her name, instead muttering "porky sausages" under her breath, before grabbing the kettle, which Dr A had filled with mineral water, and throwing it into the sink stating "don't make this kettle dirty with your dirty water".
Dr A said she returned to her room, but heard Dr Eshwari continuing to repeat "porky sausages" in the corridor.
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The tribunal found there was no clear evidence to support the allegation that Dr Eshwari had refused to give Dr A her name.
In a statement, Dr A said that she is a Pakistani Muslim, and that the poor relationship between India and Pakistan has led to some Indians calling the country 'Porkistan' and Pakistani people 'porkies'.
She alleged that Dr Eshwari had continued humming the words every time she went into the kitchen and common room.
She said Dr Eshwari's comment about "dirty water" had come after she filled a kettle with water from an unopened bottle, and that the incident had left her shocked and lost for words.
Dr Eshwari said that she had been looking for sausages in the fridge at the time and had muttered "where are the sausages" to herself.
She said that she had discarded the water from the kettle as she had seen Dr A filling it from a half-empty bottle and was concerned from a health and safety point of view.
The tribunal found that it was more likely than not that Dr Eshwari had said "porky sausages" on one or more occasion, finding the allegation proved.
It also found it proved that Dr Eshwari had told Dr A not to make the kettle dirty with her dirty water.
Dr Eshwari said she did not know and was not interested in where Dr A came from.
"Never would, ever could I cause offence to anyone," she told the tribunal, apologising "unreservedly" for any "misconception" that Dr A may have come to.
The tribunal found that Dr Eshwari's proven actions had potential to cause offence, and showed that she had demonstrated hostility towards Dr A based on her race or religion, finding her fitness to practice impaired by reason of misconduct.
Dr Eshwari was handed a six-month suspension.
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