GP says patient sought money or certs

A DUBLIN-based GP has said a patient threatened to make a complaint against her to the Medical Council unless she was given money or medical certificates.

The Medical Council’s fitness to practise committee yesterday began a hearing into allegations of professional misconduct and poor performance against Dr Lina Macaitiene. Dr Macaitiene qualified as a doctor in Lithuania in 1978 and has a practice in Dublin’s north city.

The fitness to practise inquiry is based on a complaint made to the Medical Council by a Lithuanian patient, identified as Ina Miksiene.

In a letter sent to the council last year – which was read to the inquiry by solicitor JP McDowell, the legal representative of the Medical Council’s chief executive – Ms Miksiene said that she had attended the doctor’s practice in January because her legs were swollen and she was feeling unwell.

The patient said Dr Macaitiene had said that she had a thrombus in her leg and prescribed some tablets.

On a visit later that month she said she had been told by the GP that she was feeling unwell because she had a thrombus in her leg, water in her lungs and erosion in her stomach.

She said that she had been placed on a drip and given two injections in the course of seven hours spent in the doctor’s office.

The patient said that on the way home she lost consciousness and collapsed. A friend called Dr Macaitiene, who said that everything would be fine and not to worry about it, she added

Ms Miksiene said that later that night she suffered from diarrhoea and was feeling very nauseous.

She said that the next day she sought a referral letter for hospital from Dr Macaitiene. Initially, she said, the doctor refused but later provided the letter.

Ms Miksiene said she was later taken by ambulance and admitted to the Mater hospital, where she spent four days.

She said a doctor in the Mater hospital had told her that she had anaemia, but that she did not have thrombus in her leg, water in her lung or erosion of her stomach.

Ms Miksiene said that after she was discharged she went back to Dr Macaitiene’s practice for a medical cert. She said the GP had refused to provide one as she had not paid for her treatment and called security to have her removed.

The inquiry heard that Dr Macaitiene, in a letter written to the Medical Council earlier this year, said that Ms Miksiene was known in the Lithuanian community as a woman who drank a lot.

“We want to help her but that she does not want to be treated. She has returned to Lithuania three times and on one occasion when she returned [to Ireland] she had spent all her money. She attended my clinic and insisted on being given her money or medical certificates.

“She said that if you do not give these to me I will send a complaint against you to the Irish Medical Council. She has received all our services without payment. But we must pay for everything.

“Could you please ask this woman why she attended many time my surgery if she did not like me as her doctor,” the letter stated.

The inquiry was adjourned until September.