A doctor at a family planning clinic told a patient that she needed an exorcism because there was something sinister moving around inside her stomach, a medical tribunal was told yesterday.

Joyce Pratt, 44, allegedly told the patient, who was seeking contraceptive advice, that she might be possessed by an evil spirit and needed religious rather than medical help.

She gave the woman crosses and trinkets to ward off black magic, allegedly told her that her mother was a witch, that she and her husband were trying to kill her, and suggested that she visit a Roman Catholic priest at Westminster Cathedral in London.

During the consultation at the Westside Contraceptive Clinic in Central London the doctor was said to have told the patient that she had black magic powers that could help to alleviate the problem.

The patient, identified only as Mrs K, was said to have left the clinic “very shaken and intimidated”.

The General Medical Council’s fitness-to-practise panel in Manchester was due to start a three-day hearing yesterday but Dr Pratt failed to appear. She was also not legally represented.

The panel then debated whether it could proceed in her absence to determine whether her conduct was irresponsible, unprofessional, intimidatory to her patient or liable to bring the profession into disrepute.

The incident is said to have happened when Mrs K attended the clinic, which offers free advice on family planning and contraception and counselling on sexual health. The patient, in her twenties, had complained of pain and bleeding and had gone to the clinic seeking a contraceptive injection.

Before the panel moved into private session, Heather Norton, counsel for the GMC, said: “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 experienced.

“Dr Pratt’s response was effectively to tell Mrs K that she had black magic powers in order to alleviate the problem. She told her that she should take holy water and that she should see some priests. She gave her crosses and stones that she said would protect her.

“She told her that her mother was a witch and that she and her husband were planning to kill her. Mrs K was left very shaken and intimidated.”

Dr Pratt was said to have then turned to a clinic nurse who was present and bragged about her special powers.

Miss Norton said: “The nurse was sufficiently alarmed that she contacted Mrs K to check she was all right and to notify her manager.”

Dr Pratt also faces charges that she failed to co-operate with investigations carried out first by her employer and then by the primary care trust.

The panel was told that a number of attempts had been made to contact Dr Pratt to ask her to attend meetings but she had claimed not to have received the letters.

The hearing was adjourned until a later date for Dr Pratt to answer the allegations in person.

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