"Blurred boundaries" in relationship with patient who left him £1.2m

Peter Rowan, a 62 year old doctor who practised at the Priory in Roehampton has been struck off by the General Medical Council (GMC) after it was heard how he had over-medicated a rich, elderly patient and become a beneficiary of her will.

Rowan had been given the task of creating an eating disorder unit in the hospital which he ran until 2006. He has also appeared on reality TV show Supersize vs Superskinny.

One of Dr Rowan's patients at The Priory was 66 year old Patricia May, a former actress & debutante. Ms May was his patient for over 16 years and showered him with generous gifts.

The GMC heard that 'heavily over-medicated' for many years because Dr Peter Rowan prescribed a 'hazardous' cocktail of drugs. Ms May persuaded him not to tell other physicians about her medication. He was not charged with causing her death.

Ms. May first saw Dr Rowan in 1987 and was given a 'hazardous' mix of anti-depressants, anti-psychotics and sleeping tablets. It was alleged that she was on four times the recommended daily dose of tranquilliser Lorazepam.

Mr Hurst said, 'there are no excuses, clinically, professionally, socially or otherwise for this catalogue of errors and this misjudgment after misjudgment. There is no doubt that the patient held Dr Rowan in great esteem -she was very fond of him and saw him as a friend and wanted to reward him. But in doing so, Dr Rowan lost sight of professional boundaries, maintaining dual roles of treating doctor and friend, a role that had become blurred and secretive. In so doing he may have given some comfort to a vulnerable patient and he will of course have become better off personally, but he failed her."

January 14, 2011