Courts

GP struck off by High Court over prescribing large amount of highly addictive drugs

Fitness to practice inquiry found Dr Patricia Selvarani Black inappropriately prescribed benzodiazepines and other drugs

Among the allegations against the doctor were those from an expert witness who said her prescribing behaviour was “reckless” and “off the charts“.

Mon Jan 22 2024 - 18:25

The High Court has struck off a family doctor who prescribed large quantities of highly addictive drugs to patients.

Mr Justice Micheál P O’Higgins confirmed a decision of the Irish Medical Council (IMC) to cancel the registration of Dr Patricia Selvarani Black, who practised in Castletown, Co Laois.

She had previously been suspended after she breached an undertaking to the IMC not to prescribe any more such drugs.

An IMC fitness to practice inquiry found she had inappropriately prescribed benzodiazepines and other drugs to three patients while she worked as a GP in Tallaght, Dublin, several years ago.

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These allegations cumulatively amounted to professional misconduct, it was decided.

The inquiry heard the evidence came to light following a complaint from a pharmacist in 2018. It heard she prescribed such drugs on a number of occasions between May and November 2018.

After she gave an undertaking to the IMC not to prescribe anymore, a second pharmacist complained and she came before the IMC and said she did not realise her undertaking covered existing patients.

Among the allegations against her were those from an expert witness who said her prescribing behaviour was “reckless” and “off the charts“. It also increased the risk of drugs being sold on the black market, it was claimed.

Dr Black qualified in Ireland in 1991 and had worked at a number of practices in the Dublin area up to 2018 before more recently practising at the Hope Medical Centre with clinics based in Mountrath and Castletown in Co Laois.

Mr Justice O’Higgins said he was content to confirm the IMC recommendation cancelling her registration.

He noted that the fitness to practice committee has recommended such a sanction for the protection of the public over what it said was a prescribed practise that could only be described as reckless and dangerous.

He also noted that she had breached an undertaking not to continue prescribing these medications.

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