B.C. doctor continues to practise after multiple disciplinary actions
Repeated disciplinary actions by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. have not stopped Dr. Patrick Michael Nesbitt from practising. The West Vancouver-based general practitioner's registration status is currently conditional/disciplined but active, allowing him to continue to treat only adult male patients.
The B.C. college has disciplined Nesbitt five times beginning in 2000.
His first suspension was for sexually touching and fondling a patient outside of his office in Maple Ridge and making inappropriate sexual comments to two others. Nesbitt's licence was taken away for 12 months.
The college noted "his future professional conduct is required to be above reproach in every respect."
Following his suspension, in 2002, the B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons required that he only see female patients with a chaperone present.
In 2004, Dr. Nesbitt admitted he was guilty of unprofessional conduct for making sexual comments to a patient during an appointment. The college ordered a three-month suspension that would be reduced to one month if he agreed to conditions that included participating in counselling.
In 2005, Nesbitt once again pleaded guilty to unprofessional conduct, with two female patients. According to the college's press release, he used inappropriate language in front of a patient and failed to act professionally and respectfully in his interaction with another.
The college imposed a six-month suspension from practice and a $2,500 payment to cover costs. The B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons told CBC News that Dr. Nesbitt was also prevented from seeing female patients in 2005.
In 2007, Dr. Nesbitt voluntarily withdrew from the practice of medicine. In 2010, the college found he had "breached the terms of his registration" that he treat only adult male patients by prescribing medication to 41 women, including some prescriptions for controlled substances
After a hearing, the college ordered him to take additional courses and pay a $25,000 fine. Dr. Nesbitt returned to the medical profession in 2012 with restrictions that he practise in a group setting, and that he only see adult males and that he take additional training courses.
Nesbitt was once again suspended in 2013 for breaching his conditions of practice. He was required to complete a practice review, take a boundaries, ethics and professionalism course, and agree to monitoring before he could get his licence back.
He was also ordered to pay $35,000 in costs and legal fees. Once again, the college stipulated in the 2013 hearing that "Dr. Nesbitt's future professional conduct must be beyond reproach in every aspect."
In a recent email, the B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons told CBC's the fifth estate: "College investigations into complaint matters over the years have shown that Dr. Nesbitt's interactions with female patients have been repeatedly inappropriate and offensive. With each finding of guilt, more and more conditions have been imposed to restrict Dr. Nesbitt in what he can and can't do as physician."
His current physician profile on the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia lists him as "Active" with a conditional/disciplined registration.
Dr. Nesbitt agreed to an interview with CBC News. He said he was living with an undiagnosed bi-polar condition that he now has under control.
"It's been years since I've had a complaint about any disinhibited, irritative or impulsive behaviour," he said.
Nesbitt also denied on camera that he had engaged in any inappropriate sexual behavior with any women, and blamed the college for much of his troubles. "I think it's because I'm something of a provocative person. Not the stiff conservative type of personality they would like a physician to be," Nesbitt told CBC News.