Both a B.C. doctor and a chiropractor have been suspended two years each after admitting to sexual misconduct with patients.
Dr. Norman Keith Lea of Nakusp admitted to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. that he engaged in unprofessional conduct by entering into a personal and sexual relationship with a patient.
A Jan. 5 college discipline notice said Lea violated the patient-physician relationship by not only entering a sexual and intimate relationship with a patient, but doing so during her scheduled appointments with him in his office.
“The committee expressed its concerns that Dr. Lea practised in a small, rural community, and conveyed that this practice setting requires an even greater degree of caution,” the notice said.
The notice said Lea exchanged “flirtatious and sexualized" messages with the patient via Facebook and WhatsApp.
Subsequently, the notice said, Lea repeatedly met with the patient between August and December 2018 on a personal and social basis.
The relationship became sexual, including encounters at his medical clinic, in the on-call room at the Arrow Lakes Hospital and at other locations around the community.
Lea is now subject to a formal published reprimand, two years’ suspension from practice, completion of remedial programming, meeting with the college registrar and monitoring of his practice in future.
Nanaimo chiropractor reprimanded in separate case
Chiropractor Dr. Gavin Maxwell of Nanaimo admitted to the College of Chiropractors of British Columbia that he engaged in sexual conduct with a patient contrary to the college’s profession standards.
A Jan. 3 public notice said Maxwell also acknowledged that he initially provided a false response to the college about the allegations against him.
“He later voluntarily admitted to engaging in sexual conduct with the patient,” the notice said.
Maxwell consented to a reprimand and to not apply for reinstatement with the college or be involved in the practice of chiropractic in B.C. for two years.
Further, Maxwell entered into an undertaking to successfully complete an ethics and boundaries course before applying for reinstatement with the college or engaging in the practice of chiropractic in any capacity in any jurisdiction.
