A kidney specialist offered to cook a patient his “legendary chilli” and invited her on a long walk by the coast, a tribunal heard yesterday.
Dr Colin Millar texted the woman to say “love you, always will” and even sent rubber ducks to her parents’ home as a birthday present.
The Aberdeen Royal Infirmary consultant is facing a fitness to practise hearing in Manchester, and could be banned from the profession if he is found guilty of misconduct.
Rachel Smith, for the General Medical Council, said the woman, referred to as Patient A, made a complaint in October 2012 after Dr Millar deliberately obstructed her exit from a hospital kitchen.
The doctor denied the incident during an investigation by NHS Grampian, but has admitted he was wrong to allow a friendship to develop with the university student.
Giving evidence, Patient A told the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service panel that Dr Millar was “completely professional” when he first treated her for a long-term health condition around April 2011 when she was 19.
She said they later bumped into each other in a social setting, through a mutual friend, and talked about jazz music and tennis.
When she was admitted to ARI in January 2012 the doctor visited her for chats about television, music, The X Factor and university, the panel heard.
Patient A took his mobile phone number in March that year and they began to exchange personal text messages.
It was during these that she claims he invited her round to his house to use his music room, offered to cook his “famous chilli” for her and asked to meet for a “long coastal walk”.
The panel heard Patient A also told him about a tattoo she planned to get of an anchor with the words “I refuse to sink”.
Dr Millar later sent three rubber ducks as a birthday present to her parents’ house with a note that read “we refuse to sink also”.
Ms Smith said: “She thought it was a bit odd and she did wonder how he had got the present to her as she had never given the address.”
By September 2012 their social discussions had returned to a level she was comfortable with, but she was “shocked” by text messages sent by Dr Millar on the 12th of that month.
According to Patient A the doctor sent a text to say “love you, always will”, following a difficult medical procedure earlier that day.
When she replied “thanks”, Dr Millar responded: “Not the response I was expecting,” she alleges.
Patient A told the hearing she felt more uncomfortable around Dr Millar after that night.
She made a complaint on October 5, 2012, after, she alleges, Dr Millar blocked her exit from a hospital kitchen.
George Hugh-Jones QC, defending the doctor, suggested she may have been “over-interpreting” the situations.
He said the medic had written a letter to the General Medical Council through his solicitors almost a year ago to express his regret and told the patient, who is attending the hearing with her mother: “Through me he does apologise to you for any distress or discomfort that his actions may have caused you.”
The hearing continues.