Married kidney specialist, 57, who told a patient she was ‘sexy’ and he was a ‘bit infatuated’ with her in flirtatious phone calls can keep his job after describing the comments as ‘banter’
- Kidney specialist was dealing with a woman who was trying to give up alcohol
- During a series of phone calls, he told her was ‘infatuated’ with her
- He insisted the comments were ‘banter’ and he was trying to help her
- Medical tribunal allow him to keep working under supervision
Kidney doctor Iain MacDougall has been allowed to keep his job despite telling a patient she was ‘sexy’
A kidney doctor who told a patient she was ‘sexy’ and said he was ‘a bit infatuated’ with her is to keep his job after insisting it was ‘banter’.
Iain MacDougall, a Professor of Clinical Nephrology at King’s College Hospital in London, repeatedly called a patient who was trying to give up alcohol.
The 57-year-old told the woman: ‘You kind of slightly got under my skin – you should take it as a massive compliment that you attract doctors.’
In a phone call, he said: ‘If I was single and you were single I would have asked you out on a date and we would go for dinner in a fantasy world. I fancied you, I liked you.’
He also described the woman as ‘sexy’ and compared himself to a ‘child liking ice cream and chocolate at the same time.’
The patient said she was left in tears by the comments and reported Prof MacDougall to the hospital.
The 62-year old woman later died in unrelated circumstances, a Medical Practitioners Tribunal heard.
Prof MacDougall, whose wife of 14 years is also a doctor, admitted making the comments but was cleared of sexually motivated misconduct.
He called the woman three times in three days and also left two voicemails. She recorded some of the calls.
Prof MacDougall was recognised by the Royal College of Physicians and National Institute in 2016 for Health Research for his ‘outstanding research leadership in the NHS’
During the various conversations, the professor said: ‘I’m going to be honest with you, I am a bit infatuated by you, yes, but I have to be sensible about it. I’ve been married for 14 years and I don’t go with other women.
‘If I’d have been single and you’d have been single I’d have asked you out on a date and had a great time, and would have had dinner with you. It was just a bit of a fantasy world and I just lived in a fantasy world which I had no right to be in.
‘I realise now that I should never have been in a fantasy world. I fancied you, I liked you. I didn’t know what I was doing really. I don’t have affairs with women. I thought stupidly that I would be able to banter with you and you would banter with me.’
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Descrbing his feelings, he added: ‘Imagine a five year old kid with an ice cream and the ice cream is really nice and they love it and you come along with a bar of chocolate and ask if they want the chocolate.’
The tribunal heard he was going through ‘devastating personal circumstances’ at the time, though no further detail was given.
He admitted being ‘foolish and unprofessional’ but told the hearing: ‘I was just desperately trying to keep her ok. I enjoyed that conversation, I felt I had a benefit from it and I thought she felt a benefit from it too but the comments I made were because I cared about her. I wanted to try and boost her up again.
‘To me they were banter, to me they had no meaning behind them. I had no sexual gratification from this. I didn’t want a sexual relationship. I was concerned about her. These are flattering comments I made to her. As she was vulnerable I thought I could help her. I didn’t think at the time it could harm her or harm me. I stupidly thought bantering with her would help her. I should have put the patient first. I’m very sorry.’
Prof MacDougall works in the renal department of King’s College Hospital, pictured
MPTS chairman Ms Melissa Coutino said MacDougall had pursued an ’emotional relationship’ with Patient A and said his fitness to practise medicine was impaired. But she added: ‘He has provided an alternative motivation that he was pursuing emotional support and escapism from his circumstances at that time – the Tribunal accept this.
Prof MacDougall will still have to work under supervision for the next three years due to the ‘inappropriate’ content of the calls.
The professional standards hearing, held in Manchester, was told Prof MacDougall had previously been warned for inappropriate and ‘unwelcome tactile behaviour’ with two female patients in 2003 and 2008.
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