No sign of exorcism doctor (From This Is Local London)

No sign of exorcism doctor

10:02am Thursday 9th November 2006 in

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A LONDON doctor who allegedly told a patient seeking contraception to undergo an exorcism at Westminster Cathedral failed to turn up to her disciplinary hearing.

Dr Joyce Pratt, who works at several family planning clinics in central London, reportedly told one of her patients that there was "something moving inside her stomach" and that "black magic was involved".

Dr Pratt had written to ask for the General Medical Council (GMC) Fitness to Practise hearing in Manchester to be postponed until she had found legal representation, it emerged yesterday.

She claimed that the barristers she had employed had turned out to be bogus.

A GMC statement alleged that the doctor told the patient, referred to as Mrs K, that she should see a priest at Westminster Cathedral and claimed she could help her because she "had powers".

She is said to have told Mrs K that her mother was a witch and her husband and mother were trying to kill her.

"It is alleged that Dr Pratt's conduct was irresponsible, unprofessional, intimidatory to her patient and liable to bring the profession into disrepute," the GMC statement said.

Counsel for the GMC, Heather Norton, summarising the case, said: "In the course of the consultation it was made clear to Dr Pratt by Mrs K that she had concerns about the size of her stomach and about bleeding and pain she had previously experienced.

"Dr Pratt then told Mrs K she was a victim of black magic and she had powers to alleviate the problem for her.

"She told her she should take holy water and go to see a priest. She gave her crosses and stones to protect her from the black magic.

"She said she was a visionary and had special powers recognised from an early age."

The patient who made the accusations was meant to be giving evidence by video link from London but the hearing has now been postponed.

It is alleged that Dr Pratt, who works for Westside Contraceptive Services in Westminster, failed to co-operate with investigations by her employer and the then Westminster Primary Care Trust.

The GMC has not yet set a new date for the tribunal which is expected to last three days and could see Dr Pratt struck off the medical register.