GP Maria Bastas has been struck off (Image: Jam Press)
A doctor had sex with a vulnerable mental health patient in her car and consulting room during a three-year "relationship". GP Maria Bastas has been banned from practicing medicine for at least two years following a tribunal hearing.
It was heard how Bastas, a doctor in Sydney, first met the patient in 2015 when he went to the GP for a mental health care plan. However, the pair went on to have a three-year relationship which included Bastas gifting the patient luxury cologne, skinny black jeans and £250 in cash. She also invited him over to her home, which had a gym, a pool table, bar and fountains, to show off her 300-pair shoe collection. Bastas warned the patient to be "careful" as her husband lived across the road.
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As reported by news.com.au, it was heard at the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Thursday (April 23) how the GP invited the man to her "favourite Greek cafe" after their first appointment. The patient was seeking help at the time after going through a tough break-up.
Bastas bought the pair two coffees and suggested they drink them in the back of her car. The tribunal heard how she then started to "make out" with the patient before they had sex.
They went on to have sex in her car about two to three times a week over the following years. The patient also said they sometimes had sex on the bed in her counselling room.
Their relationship began to fizzle out in 2018 before the patient turned to drink and smoke. He then disclosed the relationship to his psychologist before filing a complaint with the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) in 2022.
Bastas denies having sex with the patient (Image: Jam Press)
However, Bastas, who was previously found guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct and professional misconduct by the tribunal, denied having sex or buying him gifts. Although she told the tribunal she planned to retire in June, the decision was made to cancel her medical registration for at least two years.
The tribunal panel concluded: "Dr Bastas knew that the patient was an extremely vulnerable person because of information she had obtained as his doctor. The evidence from the patient is that Dr Bastas’ conduct has had a serious impact on him affecting his mental health, causing him ongoing emotional distress and confusion and impairing his ability to move forward."
They added that Bastas had previously been "reprimanded" for engaging in an "inappropriate close personal relationship” with a different patient in 2006." The panel noted: "This should have made clear to Dr Bastas that such behaviour was unacceptable. Instead, she repeated it."
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