What the GMC says

The GMC makes it clear in its guidance it is never appropriate for a doctor to pursue a sexual or improper emotional relationship with a current patient or someone close to them. It is also inappropriate to end a professional relationship with a patient in order to then pursue a personal relationship.

In terms of former patients, the situation is more nuanced. You will need to consider how long ago and for how long you were involved in their care, and whether they were vulnerable at the time, or now. If your professional interaction was a long time ago, and short-lived, then it would be easier to justify a later relationship. It also depends on the nature of your work. If they were a paediatric or psychiatric patient, any relationship is more likely to be seen as an abuse of your position. It would also be seen as inappropriate if you still provide care for members of their family.

It makes no difference if the patient approaches you. The GMC says that you should politely decline their offer and try to re-establish a professional boundary.

MDU advice

If you are considering embarking on a personal relationship with a former patient, ensure you have considered the factors above, and are satisfied that there could be no perception that you are taking advantage of your position, or of a vulnerable person.

Do not contact them using information obtained from their records. This would be an unlawful use of their data, and doctors have been criticised by the GMC for doing this. You also should not use social media to contact them. Even if their profile is public, it would not be appropriate to use this to contact them, when the reason you had met was professional. Similarly, if a patient contacts you through social media, the GMC makes it clear that you should decline their offer and maintain a professional boundary.

Is it OK to date a patient?

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Dr Beverley Ward

Is it OK to date a patient?