A kidney specialist has admitted pursuing a relationship with a 19-year-old patient to fill a void in his life.
Colin Millar formed a friendship with the “attractive” young woman while treating her for a long-term health condition at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
The consultant swapped phone numbers, made social visits to her hospital room and invited her for long coastal walks and dinner at his home.
A Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing was told the 52-year-old even sent her three rubber ducks as a “novelty” 20th birthday present.
But the “uncomfortable” university student – referred to as Patient A – “felt sick” when she received a text to say he loved her and complained to the hospital in October 2012.
Dr Millar was reported to the General Medical Council and is now facing allegations of misconduct at a tribunal in Manchester.
He is already subject to GMC conditions which bar him from examining female patients without a chaperone and could face a ban from the profession if the allegations against him are proved.
He admits “failing to maintain professional boundaries” and pursuing an “improper emotional relationship” with his patient – but denies inviting her to his house or having any romantic interest in her.
Giving evidence he said: “I think it was filling a void that my own life had.
“At the time I didn’t recognise it as a pursuit, but I recognise now that it was progressive in that sense.”
Patient A told the panel Dr Millar was “completely professional” when he first treated her around April 2011.
She said they bumped into each other in a social setting, through a mutual friend.
When she was admitted to hospital in January 2012 the doctor would visit her for chats about television, music and university.
The woman, who was then aged 19, said she exchanged mobile phone numbers with Dr Millar in March 2012 and they began to send each other personal text messages.
Patient A told the panel the messages were friendly in nature, but felt Dr Millar had gone a “bit far” when he invited her to meet outside the hospital.
She said by September 2012 their social discussions had returned to a level she was comfortable with, but was “shocked” by text messages from 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.
Dr Millar claims the message said “love you lots”, but admits it crossed the professional boundary.
The hearing continues.