A general practitioner in Limburg, who was convicted of raping three female patients last year, must immediately stop practicing his profession after new worrying reports. This has been decided by the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate. Some of his patients react with disbelief. “He has always been great for us.”
General practitioner Sebastiaan van P. (54) from Brunssum no longer meets the conditions for providing good and safe care. According to the inspectorate, this is a ‘high-risk situation’. Last year P. was convicted by the court of raping three patients. The appeal in the case is still ongoing and because of the suspensory effect, the man has been able to continue to do his job until now.
In June it was announced that the GP must appear in court again in October on suspicion of sexual abuse, after a report was made against him. A so-called order to immediately abstain from professional activities (LOOB) has now been imposed. The Inspectorate says it is aware that this is ‘a drastic measure, also for patients’, but that it is considered necessary.
Full of disbelief
Patients of Van P. react sadly to the news. “He has always treated me very well. Also my family in very tough and difficult times, including my father who almost died of cancer,” says Brandon Kel. “He has always been a top doctor for us. I am shocked to read that he has to stop immediately. I can’t imagine him doing those things.” Rob van Loorbeek’s family is also shocked. “We think he is a super doctor who takes time and with whom you can have a normal conversation.”
Saskia, a young mother, has had Van P. as a general practitioner for eight years. ,,I have always been very satisfied with him, he always takes the time for the patient. If there was something wrong with my children, I could come immediately and I was immediately helped. I didn’t have to wait a day.” She says she never noticed anything strange about Van P.. “I don’t know what to believe about it all. We have to wait and see what will happen now.”
Earlier in court
Van P. first made negative headlines six years ago when the first reports of sexually transgressive behavior came in. “As a woman I have always had an uneasy feeling,” one of his patients writes on social media. “Inappropriate touches. Having to adopt inappropriate postures during examinations. I can’t be the only woman who hasn’t felt comfortable in his presence.’
In 2018, Van P. had to appear in court for unwanted sex with a patient. According to him, the woman forced herself on him, but he acknowledged that he had crossed the line. That would have resulted from work pressure. He would have taken measures to prevent a recurrence. At the time, the public prosecutor demanded a prison sentence of one and a half years. However, the court found abuse not proven and acquitted the doctor. At the beginning of 2019, Van P. was unconditionally suspended for six months by the regional disciplinary committee.
What now?
The question now is how to proceed with Van P.’s patients. The Inspectorate reports on Friday that it will submit the matter to the Regional Disciplinary Court for Healthcare within eight weeks, which will eventually issue a judgment. Other GPs in the area are concerned about what it means for the region if the man has to resign from his duties as a GP. General Practitioners Eastern South Limburg (HOZL) previously informed the daily newspaper The Limburger. The HOZL is afraid that the pressure on other GPs will then increase, and according to the newspaper, it is discussing this with Zorgverzekeraar CZ and GP group Brunssum.
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