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Physicians

Doctor Suspended for Pursuing Inappropriate Relationship with Former 13-Year-Old Patient

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Dr. Cian Hughes, a 31-year-old doctor, has been suspended for 12 months after pursuing an inappropriate relationship with a former 13-year-old patient he claims to have been "in love" with. The girl, known as patient A, was first seen by Dr. Hughes in 2011 when she was 13 years old and undergoing an operation at a children's hospital in Bristol. At the time, Dr. Hughes was 23 and a fourth-year medical student at the University of Bristol. The pair started a sexual relationship in 2015, when the girl was 17.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dr. Cian Hughes was suspended for 12 months after an inappropriate relationship with a former 13-year-old patient.
  • The pair started exchanging personal messages in 2011, after the girl asked for copies of her X-rays.
  • Dr. Hughes admitted that by December 2013, he became aware that patient A had developed personal feelings for him.
  • The girl spent multiple nights at Dr. Hughes' flat, where "sexual activity occurred" on "several occasions."
  • Despite her vulnerable status, Dr. Hughes considered patient A to be his "equal" and was "very much in love with her."
  • The relationship ended in 2016 when Dr. Hughes moved to Ireland to start a job as a medical researcher.
  • Patient A is now in her 20s and has a "distrust of authority figures, medical professionals, and medical appointments."
  • A University of Bristol spokesperson stated that all medical students undergo comprehensive ethical training and are taught the importance of following fitness to practice guidelines.

Statistics:

  • The girl was 13 years old when she first met Dr. Hughes in 2011.
  • Dr. Hughes was 23 years old when he first met the girl in 2011.
  • The pair started exchanging personal messages in 2011.
  • Dr. Hughes admitted that by December 2013, he became aware that patient A had developed personal feelings for him (at age 16).
  • The pair's relationship lasted from 2015 to 2016.
  • The girl spent multiple nights at Dr. Hughes' flat.

Sources:

  • "University of Bristol spokesperson"
  • "University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust"
  • General Medical Council

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