DISCIPLINE SUMMARIES
DR. GEORGE DOODNAUGHT
PRACTICE LOCATION: Toronto
AREA OF PRACTICE: Anesthesiology
HEARING INFORMATION: Admission; Plea of No Contest
On May 22, 2018, the Discipline Committee found
that Dr. Doodnaught committed acts of professional
misconduct in that he was found guilty of an offence
relevant to his suitability to practise, and that he
engaged in sexual impropriety with a patient, sexu-
ally abused his patients, and engaged in conduct or
acts or omissions relevant to the practice of medicine,
that, having regard to all the circumstances, would
reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful,
dishonourable, and unprofessional. Dr. Doodnaught
admitted the allegation that he had been found guilty
of an offence relevant to his suitability to practise,
and entered a plea of no contest to the other allega-
tions.
Dr. Doodnaught was an anesthesiologist who prac-
tised primarily at North York General Hospital in
Toronto. On November 19, 2013, Dr. Doodnaught
was criminally convicted of sexually assaulting 21
patients. The trial judge found that all of the assaults
took place while the patient was in surgery under
conscious sedation that was administered by Dr.
Doodnaught. During the surgeries, Dr. Doodnaught
made sexual comments to his patients, kissed the
patients on the mouth, fondled their breasts, and/
or placed his penis in the patients’ mouths or hands.
Many of the patients told Dr. Doodnaught to stop,
but were unable to resist due to the anesthetic. Other
patients were unable to tell Dr. Doodnaught to
stop due to the anesthetic. In several instances, Dr.
Doodnaught later told the patients that they had
made the comments or initiated the sexual touching.
Many of the patients subsequently reported the abuse
to their friends or family members, who responded
that such things could never happen in a busy oper-
ating room. Consequently, many of the patients did
not initially report their concerns to hospital authori-
ties or the police until they saw media reports of Dr.
Doodnaught’s arrest for sexual assault.
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DIALOGUE ISSUE 4, 2018
The Committee found that Dr. Doodnaught en-
gaged in sexual abuse of patients, disgraceful, dis-
honourable and unprofessional conduct, and sexual
impropriety with a patient in respect of 10 further
patients. The Committee found that Dr. Doodnaught
sexually abused these patients during and after their
surgeries by placing his penis in their hands and/or
mouths, fondling their breasts, kissing his patients on
their mouths, and making sexualized comments to
the patients.
The Committee noted the aggravating factors of
Dr. Doodnaught’s repeated inappropriate sexual
comments and unacceptable touching, and his false
statements to patients that they, not he, had made
the comments or initiated the touching. The Com-
mittee also considered how the disbelief experienced
by the patients left them embarrassed and humili-
ated, with no way to address their recollections until
media reports of Dr. Doodnaught’s arrest came to
light. The Committee also emphasized that Dr.
Doodnaught’s egregious behaviour occurred with 31
patients over many years, with increasing frequency
over time, and that it was deliberate and planned.
The Committee emphasized the extreme vulnerability
of the patients at the time of the abuse because of the
anesthesia administered by Dr. Doodnaught.
ORDER
The Committee ordered revocation of Dr.
Doodnaught’s certificate of registration; a repri-
mand; payment to the College of costs for $10,180.
Dr. Doodnaught was also ordered to reimburse the
College for funding provided to patients under the
program required under s. 85.7 of the Health Profes-
sions Procedural Code, by posting an irrevocable letter
of credit or other security acceptable to the College
in the amount of $497,860.
For complete details, please see the full decision at
www.cpso.on.ca. Select Find a Doctor and enter the
doctor’s name.