A NEWCASTLE doctor told a pregnant patient who requested a whooping cough vaccine "well it's your choice, but don't blame me if your baby dies".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Dr Ratna Ghosh, described by a psychiatrist as having "grandiose beliefs about her abilities as a doctor", prescribed penicillin to a toddler who she knew was allergic.
According to a NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) finding, when the child's father protested during the consultation, Dr Ghosh told him "it will be fine".
The GP, who worked at Charlestown and Wallsend, was also found to have written prescriptions for herself and her husband in the name of a close relative.
Dr Ghosh is expected to be struck off next month after being found guilty of professional misconduct on Wednesday and banned from practicing for 18 months.
As Dr Ghosh did not take part in the tribunal hearing, NCAT suspended the ruling for 28 days to allow her time to show cause why the findings should not be enforced.
"The Tribunal finds that the respondent [Dr Ghosh] has engaged in unethical conduct of a serious nature," the findings read.
"These include: boundary crossing in treating a close and vulnerable family member over several years; prescribing, in the name of a close relative, medication that was intended for her own or another's use; prescribing excessive doses of doxycycline; and misleading or deceiving the delegates in Medical Council hearings."
After completing a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery in 1989 at the University of Western Australia, Dr Ghosh worked as a GP in Newcastle for about 15 years.
In 2017, she saw a 33-week pregnant woman at Wallsend Medical Centre who requested a whooping cough vaccine.
Dr Ghosh told the woman the vaccine "could kill babies" and "only people in Western countries get it which is why there are so many deformed babies".
When the patient insisted that she wanted the vaccine as it is meant to be given in the third trimester, Dr Ghosh responded: "Well it is your choice, but don't blame me if your baby dies".
Dr Ghosh failed to perform, or offer to perform, antenatal checks, including an assessment of wellbeing, abdominal examination for uterine size or foetal presentation and engagement.
Giving evidence at a Medical Council of NSW hearing in December 2017, Dr Ghosh made inappropriate comments about the patient, including that pregnant women can get "very agitated and touchy".
"So maybe she was having some psychosis of pregnancy or some anger issue," she said.
She then went on to accuse the patient of being "violently enraged" and "absolutely off her face and raged".
"Maybe she didn't quite understand what I told her, which is obviously a risk with lay patients," she said.
The tribunal heard that Dr Ghosh was seen by five psychiatrists, and four found she suffered from an impairment.
One reported that Dr Ghosh demonstrated a pattern of "demeaning others based on race, religion, education and social standings", which had been the subject of previous complaints.
Dr Ghosh was found to have posted anonymous reviews on the RateMDs website about one of the psychiatrists, Dr Kim Newham, and about Newcastle GP Dr Faisal Khan who worked with Dr Ghosh and made a compliant about her behaviour.
Dr Ghosh was also found to have treated a close relative over many years, when she should have referred him to another GP, and prescribed antipsychotic drugs without his knowledge.
Another doctor gave evidence that administering antipsychotic medications without the patient's knowledge "could be construed as performing chemical restraint".
Between January 2013 and June 2018 Dr Ghosh failed to keep any medical records of her treatment of the man.
While you're with us, did you know the Newcastle Herald offers breaking news alerts, daily email newsletters and more? Keep up to date with all the local news - sign up here
IN THE NEWS:
- Teenagers charged over Cooks Hill pursuit that ended with crash
- Police hunt Cessnock jail escapee who allegedly found keys
- Latest update: No new cases in Hunter for second day running
- 'Valentine Nine' home invaders jailed
- NSW Coastal Council urges City of Newcastle to consider artificial headland and sand nourishment for Stockton beach
- NSW Industrial Relations commissioner finds serious flaws in Fire and Rescue investigation that led to sacking of 349 Kurri Kurri brigade captain Ken Maxwell