A Birmingham doctor has been permanently banned from practicing medicine after engaging in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a patient, asking her to purchase illegal drugs for him, and advising her on how to abort his unborn child.
Details of the Case
Dr Eren Battaloglu, a GP who worked at Soho Road Health Centre and Kirpal Medical Centre in Birmingham since April 2020, admitted to being "often under the influence of drugs and alcohol," which led to reckless behavior. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) heard the case and ruled to strike him off the medical register.
The Relationship
Dr Battaloglu claimed he met the patient, referred to as Ms A, on an escort site, but she stated it was an online dating or hookup site. She recounted that after their first sexual encounter, he revealed he was her GP, saying, "After I had had sex with him, he told me that he was my new doctor at my GP Surgery." She did not recognize him initially, noting he was the only white doctor at the practice.
The tribunal found their sexual relationship extended beyond the three times Battaloglu admitted, with regular encounters twice a week. He gave her money, around £300 each time, after sex, though she was uncertain of the arrangement's purpose.
Misconduct and Drug Use
Battaloglu admitted sending WhatsApp messages of a "highly sexual nature" but denied initially knowing she was a patient. He also admitted asking her to buy illegal drugs, visiting her home to drink alcohol, and sending her money despite knowing she was a vulnerable drug user with mental health issues.
When Ms A informed him she was pregnant with his child, he offered to refer her for an abortion, which was inappropriate due to their personal relationship. After she was told it was too late for a termination, he discussed methods to induce abortion, including taking two medications.
Defense and Tribunal Ruling
Battaloglu's representative, Mr Ivill, argued that the conduct was an "isolated episode" in an otherwise unblemished career and that Battaloglu had addressed his drug issues, showing low likelihood of repetition. However, the tribunal determined he posed a current and ongoing risk to public safety, noting he had "shown himself willing to put his own interests before those of a patient and to persist in and cover up such behaviour over a protracted period."
The tribunal report stated: "The Tribunal considered Dr Battaloglu’s actions to have undermined the public’s trust in doctors and that his misconduct would be considered deplorable by fellow members of the profession." They found his focus was on the impact on himself and his family, with little reflection on the harm to Ms A.
The panel concluded that erasure from the medical register was the only appropriate sanction due to the high risk he posed. His registration was suspended immediately at a General Medical Council misconduct hearing ending on April 23. Battaloglu qualified as a doctor in 2013, completing GP training in Birmingham and working as a locum in Sandwell and City Hospital Accident & Emergency Department.
