Vernon doctor who once had sex with patient reprimanded again

A Vernon doctor, who was suspended for 12 months for having sex with a patient in his office almost 25 years ago, has again been reprimanded by the regulator for not using approved chaperones when examining female patients.

According to a May 16 College of Physicians and Surgeons decision, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Sharma admitted using unapproved staff members as chaperones when examining female patients between November 2023 and January 2024.

A condition of his licence to practice was to have an authorized chaperone present when doing complete physical examinations and all breast, pelvic and “sensitive examinations” on female patients.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons doesn’t say when or why this condition was put on his licence, although he was previously suspended for having sex with a patient.

In 2001, he was found “guilty of infamous conduct” for having sexual intercourse with an adult female patient in his medical office.

“He expressed deep remorse and contrition, acknowledging that the conduct was infamous and should be penalized,” a decision from 2001 read.

The regulator suspended his licence for 12 months and ordered the doctor to pay $1,000 costs.

Dr. Sharma made national headlines six years later when he was convicted of aiding and abetting a patient to attempt to commit suicide.

The doctor gave a 92-year-old woman in a nursing home enough medication to kill herself, although her attempt was unsuccessful.

In 2007, he pleaded guilty to the charges and was given two years of house arrest. At the time, the College said he had been “erased” as a member.

However, at some point, the College did reinstate his licence.

Along with the current chaperone condition Dr. Sharma, who has been practicing for more than 40 years, must have “conspicuous signage” in his office saying he’s required to have a chaperone and he must not “initiate or pursue social contact” with patients or former patients.

“Dr. Sharma must not see patients unless another physician and clinic staff member are present in the clinic. A physician and clinic staff must be present at all times during Dr. Sharma’s hours of clinical practice,” a notice on the College’s website read.

No other information is given in the decision.