Telegraph.co.uk
By Agency
12:50PM GMT 20 Jan 2015
Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing told Dr Thomas O’Brien persuaded mother of one to undergo spiritual procedure at Pentecostal church to cure pain
A Christian family doctor performed an exorcism on a seriously ill patient after promising he could “heal” her without medication, a medical tribunal heard.
GP Dr Thomas O’Brien, 56, persuaded the mother of one to undergo the spiritual procedure at his local Pentecostal church after telling her: “God is your surgeon,” it was claimed.
During a four-month period leading to the ceremony, O’Brien is alleged to have subjected the patient who was in great pain after stomach surgery to “religious grooming” in which he said the “devil was having a real go at her” and that she had “devil items” in her house.
The doctor further exploited the woman’s vulnerability by quoting the Bible at her, taking her to religious meetings, praying with her at home and even programming her television remote to satellite TV’s The Gospel Channel, it was said.
O’Brien and his wife Tina, 62, also gave the woman a copy of a book he had written with his wife called the Occult Checklist and got her to meet the local pastor over lunch at a restaurant. The couple later pressurised the woman into a signing a document called the Prayer of Repentance, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service was told.
The patient, who was also severely depressed, became convinced she had been possessed by demons and all her troubles were because of the devil. She was told to stop taking anti-depressants and blood pressure medication and allegedly warned not to tell her psychiatrist as O’Brien claimed they were “very dangerous”. She later told her psychiatrist, who subsequently reported O’Brien to the General Medical Council.
At a fitness to practise hearing in Manchester O’Brien, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, faced misconduct charges which include using his professional position to influence the patient’s religious beliefs. It is also claimed his actions caused “distress” to the woman and was “detrimental” to her health.
The woman – known as Patient A – had been prescribed anti-depressants, anti-hypertensive and analgesic medication and was said to be suicidal and in great pain after colostomy surgery. She met O’Brien in August 2012 when he was a locum at Apsley Surgery in the Corbridge Health Centre in Stoke.
Peter Atherton, counsel for the GMC, said: “She first consulted Dr O’Brien by telephone when she was in great pain, depressed and suicidal. In the course of that telephone consultation, Dr O’Brien asked her if she had a faith and she said she didn’t he told her his wife knew of a different way that could heal her that did not involve medication.
“Later that same day Dr O’Brien telephoned Patient A and his wife Tina spoke to her. The following day Dr O’Brien went to her home and started to talk to her about God. On that occasion he also programmed the television to the Gospel Channel.
“Dr O’Brien and his wife also invited Patient A for lunch with them and their friends at a local restaurant. One of the friends present was a pastor at the church. Dr O’Brien and his wife befriended and attempted to evangelise Patient A. They often prayed with her and took her to meetings where she took part in religious practices.”
Mr Atherton said that Patient A – and other members of her family – were also given numerous religious gifts, including the Occult Checklist and was offered the use of a log cabin.
“It was compiled and written by Tom and Tina O’Brien,” he said. “Together with that document they included a document called Prayer of Repentance, which they pressurised her, particularly the doctor’s wife, to sign.
“She has said the doctor advised her that for religious reasons she should stop taking her medication and not go to see the psychiatrist. When he saw him he advised her that there is a better way. He is linked to the Pentecostal church.
“He and his wife took her to a meeting and at that meeting she was advised against seeing a psychiatrist, that god was her surgeon and she should stop her medication. They also offered her an exorcism and performed it. She was made to feel as if all things going wrong were due to the devil.”
“From documents provided by Dr O’Brien it appears he and his wife’s relationship with Patient A was based solely on Christian principles whereas Patient A believes the gifts and acts of kindness amounted to a form of religious grooming designed to cause division within her family – particularly herself and her partner, and caused her great distress.”
The case continues.