discipline summaries
of such amounts. The Committee concluded that it was
appropriate to make this order. As noted above, the parties also agreed that Dr. Maharajh should be required
to reimburse the College for funding for therapy and
counselling for an additional six patients with whom
he admitted during the penalty part of the hearing to
have engaged in similar inappropriate conduct to that
with Patient A, and to post security up to the maximum
of $16,060 for each. The Committee was satisfied that
it can impose a term, condition and limitation on Dr.
Maharajh’s certificate of registration to that effect, and
that it is appropriate for it to do so.
Dr. Maharajh was cooperative with the College and,
by way of an Agreed Statement of Facts, his hearing was
considerably shortened. However, there was a finding
against him and he was not successful in his argument
on penalty, and accordingly it was decided that he
should bear some of the costs of the two-day hearing.
Penalty Order
On November 5, 2013, the Committee ordered and
directed that:
• e Registrar suspend Dr. Maharajh’s certificate of
Th
registration for eight months. This suspension is to
take effect immediately.
• e Registrar impose the following terms, conditions
Th
and limitations on Dr. Maharajh’s certificate of registration for an indefinite period of time:
a D
. r. Maharajh’s practice shall be restricted to male
patients only.
b. r. Maharajh shall post a clearly visible sign in his
D
waiting room, and any waiting room where he practises, stating that he may only treat male patients.
c. r. Maharajh shall continue in individual psychoD
dynamic psychotherapy with a College-approved
psychiatrist who shall provide written reports to the
CPSO every six months.
• r. Maharajh appear before the panel to be reprimanded.
D
• r. Maharajh reimburse the College for funding
D
provided to Patient A under the program required
under section 85.7 of the Code, and shall, within
three months of the date of this Order, post security
acceptable to the College, in the amount of $16,060
to guarantee the payment of such amounts.
• e Registrar impose the following term, condition
Th
and limitation on Dr. Maharajh’s certificate of registration for an indefinite period of time:
a. r. Maharajh shall reimburse the College for
D
funding for any therapy and counselling provided to up to six of the patients referred to in the
Agreed Statement of Facts for Penalty Hearing,
and shall, within three months of the date of this
Order, post additional security acceptable to the
College, in the amount of $96,360 to guarantee
payment of such amounts.
On February 4, 2014, the Discipline Committee ordered
Dr. Maharajh to pay costs to the College in the amount of
$8,920 within 60 days of the date of the Order.
Dr. Maharajh waived his right to an appeal and the Committee administered a public reprimand.
DR. KATHLEEN JOYCE PRATT
Practice Location: Sarnia
Practice Area: General Surgery
Hearing Information: Agreed Statement of Facts, Admission, Joint Submission on Penalty
On October 3, 2013, the Discipline Committee found
that Dr. Pratt committed an act of professional misconduct, in that she engaged in conduct or an act or
omission relevant to the practice of medicine that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be
regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or
unprofessional.
Dr. Pratt admitted to the allegation.
Dr. Pratt submitted swabs from herself for testing for
Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (“MRSA”)
and disguised them under the name and identity of an
employee without the knowledge and/or consent of that
individual. She did so after officials in her hospital suggested she could have anonymous testing, which turned
out not to be possible.
Full decisions are available online at www.cpso.on.ca.
Select Doctor Search and enter the doctor’s name.
Issue 4, 2014 Dialogue
77