The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Psychologist struck off for affair with ex-patient
NHS Tayside worker had been ‘blinded’ by his attraction to woman
A former NHS Tayside psychologist has been struck off after admitting a sexual relationship with a former patient.
Markus Themessl-Huber was working for NHS Tayside when he began his affair with the sex abuse survivor in 2015.
The clinical psychologist, who worked for Angus Adults Psychological Services, arranged for the woman to be discharged from his care so they could begin a sexual relationship.
The Health Care and Professions Tribunal Service in London was told Mr Themessl-Huber falsified timesheets to conceal his relationship with the woman, named only as Patient A, from his bosses at the health board.
Panel chairman Andrew Gell said his actions has caused “significant harm” to the patient and his actions were “fundamentally incompatible” with remaining on the register.
The tribunal was told the sexual relationship lasted for more than three months but ended in March 2016 after the woman took an overdose when Mr Themessl-Huber attempted to “withdraw” from the relationship.
She told the Samaritans her affair with Mr Themessl-Huber had left her “heartbroken” and confused.
Mr Themessl-Huber referred himself to NHS Tayside following Patient A’s admission to hospital following her overdose of medication in March last year.
He was dismissed by the health board a short time later.
Mr Themessl-Huber admitted five charges including engaging in an inappropriate sexual relationship, sending emails of a sexual nature, sending gifts and submitting five falsified timesheets.
He told the panel he had lost sight of his responsibilities and been “blinded” by his attraction to the woman.
She then wrote to him expressing her feelings for him and he admitted his own attraction to her.
The pair had exchanged a number of explicit emails before she was discharged from Mr Themessl-Huber’s care and they consummated their relationship.
The panel concluded there was no option but to strike off Mr ThemesslHuber.
It said: “The tribunal finds that the registrant’s behaviour is fundamentally incompatible with continued registration.
“It takes account of the fact that the registrant’s actions exacerbated Patient A’s long-standing mistrust of men and has caused her additional and significant harm.”