Recently a case has been heard by the Health and Care Professional Tribunal Service where an NHS psychologist named, Dr Elinor Harper was alleged of being in an intimate relationship with one of her patent. It has been reported that in August 2017, Harper started working at one of the NHS Trust, moreover, her role was to treat complex patients with psychological troubles and distress. However, in February 2018, she started to treat a patient, who had a long history of severe mental health problems. During that course, the patient named Service User A started developing feelings for the doctor.
In November 2018, the patient confessed his love for doctor Harper and it was this private session where they both first hugged each other. Later in the same month, during another round of sessions, they both shared a passionate kiss followed by a warm embrace. During this round, Harper also confessed that she loves him too, despite being married. Throughout the hearing at the Health and Care Professional tribunal service, the messages of both the doctor and patient were examined.
Moreover, through the messages, it was founded that by the end of November, their relationship became quite intense, as they exchange numbers and started contacting and texting each other through phone calls and messages. Later in December 2018, the duo met each other two times in a hotel and also visited each other residents too.
In the WhatsApp message, the doctor messaged the patient, that she always loved him, however, she did not have the courage to admit it to herself, not to mention to the patient. Referring to the patient, Harper further wrote that, “however, since the day you first held me and lovingly caressed my back, looking deep into my eyes, the gates of her heart opened and I realised that my love for you just rushes through me and now, she cannot stop it anymore.
She later ends by saying that we are two broken stars, that crossed and hit each other’s path. In the next messages, Harper talked with the patient about their first hug and told him that she thought that she is in trouble here. During the hearing, the patient statement was also recorded in which he was seen saying that Dr Harper had narrated to him that she was married, but she no longer wanted to be with her husband.
To which the patient said that it is not appropriate and she is his therapist. However, the doctor was quick enough to reply that she agrees that it is, but everyone has a different viewpoint. They both kept their relationship a secret as the patient reasoned that he is afraid that if his ex-wife would know about his relationship, she would ban him from meeting his children.
Harper admitted that although she was also afraid of what other people would think if they get know about their relationship, however, she also confessed that she always hated the fact that they have to keep their relationship a secret. Later, the duo ended their relationship in April 2019, meanwhile, doctor Harper took sick leaves in July 2019 and later resigned from the NHS in the same year in the month of October.
However, later the ex-wife of the patient found about her husband’s affair and she filed a complaint against Harper for grooming her ex-husband and involving him in a physical relationship. The Tribunal panel found the doctor guilty and concluded that she had abused her position of trust and developed a personal and intimate sexual relationship with her client.
