Theodore Soutzos struck off medical register after having sexual relationships with patients (From Your Local Guardian)

Theodore Soutzos struck off medical register after having sexual relationships with patients

7:30am Monday 6th September 2010 in

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A psychiatrist who had a series of improper sexual relationships with vulnerable patients has been struck off the medical register.

Theodore Soutzos, 45, had a six-month affair with a female patient nearly 20 years younger than him who he treated at the Priory, in Roehampton, in 2006.

Prior to that relationship, he bedded a patient, referred to as Miss A, while based at St Guy’s Hospital in 1999.

Between August 2003 and October 2006, while working at the Bowden House Clinic, in Harrow, Soutzos took another patient, Miss B, on dates and hugged and kissed her.

The Harley Street psychiatrist denied relationships with Miss A and Miss B but a General Medical Council (GMC) conduct panel rejected his account on Thursday.

He admitted a romance with the patient - known as Miss C - at Roehampton’s Priory Lane hospital but claimed it only began after their professional relationship ended.

However, during the GMC hearing, Miss C told how she was “never formally discharged” during their affair, which involved trips to the ballet, a Scissor Sisters concert and holidays abroad.

Miss C, who suffered from bulimia and anorexia, ended the relationship in Easter, 2007, but encountered Soutzos again when she was readmitted later that year. During this stay she told how the psychiatrist begged her to help save his career.

Soutzos was found guilty of a string of charges relating to the three women, including going swimming together and sending inappropriate text messages.

The GMC’s fitness to practise panel’s report said: “The panel is satisfied that the only sufficient and proportionate way in which patients, the public and the reputation of the profession can be protected is by directing the registrar to erase your name from the medical register.

“The panel is satisfied that your misconduct will have damaged the reputation of the profession.

“Doctors, patients and the public at large need to be reassured that serious misconduct of the kind in which you have repeatedly engaged cannot be tolerated.”

Speaking after the GMC’s ruling, Soutzos said: “I have been committed to the profession of psychiatry and to my patients for more than 18 years and I am therefore very disappointed at the findings of the GMC. I am currently considering with my legal team the options available to me.

“I would like to thank those friends, family and many patients who have supported me through this difficult time.”