By Chelsea Laskowski

P.A. doctor’s licence pulled for sex with patient

Nov 22, 2014 | 5:07 PM

A well-regarded Prince Albert doctor’s confession to having sex with a patient has led to a more serious penalty than a similar case less than half a year ago.

Dr. Nigel Painter’s doctor’s licence is revoked for a year after he pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with and helping one of his patients provide false information on that relationship.

His alleged sexual relationship with a patient he’d counselled came to the attention of the province’s physician disciplinary body last year.

People who were concerned about Painter’s conduct with the patient but not involved alerted the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan on the heels of a penalty hearing for Dr. Johannes Nicolas Kriel. Kriel, a past physician at the South Hill Medical Practice, confessed to the same offence with a patient last summer and lost his licence for a minimum of nine months. 

The College’s council wrote to Painter’s patient last year about the allegations.

Court proceedings

'The impact of this trauma will echo for generations': court case surrounding La Ronge woman's death reaches conclusion

5h ago

Going Global

P.A.'s Zablocki named to Team Canada for U18 Women's World Championships

5h ago

Election 2024

Birch Hills staff won't share election decision

6h ago

The patient’s denial was not genuine, according to Bryan Salte, legal counsel and spokesman for the College.

“The physician initially handwrote the letter which was then recopied by the patient in the patient’s own handwriting.”

In Salte’s view, the patient had been particularly vulnerable to an abuse of power by someone providing care to her.

She had “been through a marriage breakdown and received counselling from the physician,” he explained.

Salte added that there’s significant evidence that patients can suffer deep psychological harm if they get sexually involved with their doctor.

“It’s pretty much at the core of the medical profession; it’s one of those things that is just completely unacceptable.”

In the time since her initial denial, the patient has participated in the processes against Painter.

There is “certainly no relationship anymore,” Salte said of the patient, who was present in Saskatoon on Friday for Painter’s penalty hearing.

Salte professionally interacted with Painter through the Practice Enhancement Program several years prior. http://www.pepsask.ca/practice

Painter’s role assessing the quality of care in the offices of other physicians “obviously is an indication that he was well-regarded and practicing good medicine at the time,” Salte said.

Painter was first licenced as a Saskatchewan physician practicing in Prince Albert in 2002, and a 2010 write-up on the Prince Albert Raiders’ website refers to Painter as its “team doctor.” In WHL’s Official 2013-14 Guide, he is listed as the Raiders’ club physician. 

In addition to a 12-month revocation of his doctor’s licence, Painter can only practice again if “the council decides it’s appropriate to give [hi]m a licence” based on an assessment to decide if there’s a significant risk of it reoccurring.

Painter must go through counselling if he intends to do that.

Nigel Painter was not available for comment at publication time.

How often are these relationships reported?

Salte’s estimates the College has received one or two allegations of sexual relationships per year over the past decade.

Based on research, Salte said people tend to report a relationship of this nature only when things turn south between the doctor and patient.

“What is reported is often as much a reflection of a perceived insensitivity by the physician as it is what the physician is alleged to have done.”

Another factor is a person’s fear of word getting out in smaller communities, something Salte said he’s been told numerous times.

“Sometimes people in rural communities feel that they cannot report matters because if it’s known in the community that a local doctor has been reported that they will be ostracized by the community.”

People can report doctor misconduct on this website.

claskowski@panow.com

On Twitter: @chelsealaskowsk

Editor’s Note: Dr. Nigel Painter last worked at West Hill Medical Clinic before his licence was revoked.