Despite making "derogatory and unacceptable" remarks toward two Muslim patients, a doctor in Nottingham has escaped suspension. In 2021, Dr. Balvinder Mehat, a partner in general practice at Bakersfield Medical Centre, left the deplorable comments on a voicemail for a patient, which he neglected to end.

He made derogatory remarks about two "problem patients" in front of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal, which Nottinghamshire Live has decided not to publish. Two years later, the recording made its rounds on social media and "caused some concern among the Muslim population," which comprises twenty percent of the doctor's patientele.

Born and raised in India, Dr. Mehat is Sikh. He had earlier expressed at the hearing that he was "truly embarrassed and ashamed". His acts "demonstrated hostility based on race/religion," according to the tribunal. It did state, however, that he did not speak with animosity toward any race or religion.

It ruled his behaviour amounted to serious misconduct but found his practice was not impaired, meaning he will avoid any sanction such as a suspension.

On July 8, 2021, Dr Mehat, a GP at the practice for more than 30 years, tried to make a phone call to a patient and left a voicemail. However, he failed to disconnect the call and began discussing "problem patients" with the practice manager. During his outburst, he made the derogatory comments and referred to "these Muslims".

In a statement read out to the tribunal, Dr Mehat said he was referring to the two patients, who he said had verbally abused practice staff, and not Muslims in general. The tribunal accepted the conversation was a "flashpoint" but said the language was "inappropriate and unacceptable".

"[The] Tribunal concluded that Dr Mehat’s conduct fell so far short of the standards of conduct reasonably to be expected of a doctor as to amount to serious misconduct," the judgement reads.

The General Medical Council (GMC) argued that a finding of impairment was "necessary to maintain and promote proper professional standards within the profession". But the tribunal said Dr Mehat had shown considerable remorse which it accepted was genuine.

It further mentioned that he had apologized to local Muslim community leaders, taken classes on anger management and unconscious bias, and given money to a mosque in an effort to make amends for his misbehavior.

Noting that no additional complaints had been filed in the three years since the tape was made, the tribunal concluded that "[Dr. Mehat] could not see anything more Dr. Mehat could have done to remediate for his conduct."