A HEREFORD doctor suspended after repeatedly saying 'porky sausages' to another doctor and accusing her of filling a kettle with 'dirty water' has been handed a further suspension.

Dr Colathor Eshwari was originally handed a six-month suspension for misconduct by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in March after they heard that she had behaved inappropriately towards her flatmate, Dr A, while working at Hereford County Hospital on November 8, 2019.

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Dr A said 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 Dr Eshwari continued to repeat "porky sausages" in the corridor, which she said was a racial slur.

The tribunal found there was no clear evidence to support the allegation that Dr Eshwari had refused to give Dr A her name.

Dr Eshwari said she had been looking for sausages in the fridge and had muttered "where are the sausages" to herself, that she did not know where Dr A was from, and that she apologised for any "misconception" that Dr A may have come to

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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", and that she had told Dr A not to make the kettle dirty with her dirty water, finding the allegations proved.

The tribunal found that Dr Eshwari's proven actions could 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.

A review hearing in September, which Dr Eshwari did not attend, heard that she had apologised in a letter for her actions, stating that it was never her intention to cause offence. 

However, the tribunal was unable to find evidence that she had taken steps to address her misconduct, while her apology did not go far enough, with a lack of reflection about why the offence occurred.

The tribunal concluded that the risk of repetition was the same as it was at the original hearing, and that Dr Eshwari's fitness to practice was still impaired by reason of misconduct.

Dr Eshwari's registration was suspended for a further six months.