A Sydney-based doctor has been removed from practice for at least two years after a tribunal found she engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a vulnerable mental health patient.
Maria Bastas, a general practitioner who worked in Marrickville, was found guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct and professional misconduct by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Her medical registration was formally cancelled last week, with a two-year non-review period imposed.
The tribunal concluded Dr Bastas had formed an improper relationship with a patient she knew to be highly vulnerable due to his mental health condition. It found the conduct had a significant and lasting impact on the man, affecting his wellbeing and leaving him with ongoing emotional distress.
The patient, a 50-year-old man, told the tribunal he first saw Bastas in 2015 after being referred for a mental health care plan. He alleged their professional relationship later became personal, claiming they met outside clinical settings and engaged in a relationship over a period of time.
Evidence presented included accounts from the patient’s psychologist and psychiatrist, as well as a supporting witness who said the man had confided in her about the situation. The tribunal accepted the patient’s evidence where it conflicted with that of Dr Bastas.
Bastas denied any sexual relationship took place but acknowledged she had developed an inappropriate personal connection with the patient between 2015 and 2017.
The tribunal also noted a prior disciplinary finding in 2006, when Dr Bastas was reprimanded over another inappropriate relationship with a different patient.
In its ruling, the tribunal said cancelling her registration was necessary to protect public safety, adding that character references provided on her behalf carried limited weight as they predated the findings and did not fully reflect the circumstances.
Bastas indicated she plans to retire in June.
