NRI physio fired after inappropriate massaging

Ashok Chitte Sreenivas, who was working at Physiomatters in Ilford, Essex, for just 11 months when three women complained about his indecent behaviour, according to The Daily Mail.

The Indian physio, self-employed but based at the clinic, was found guilty of a series of allegations and struck off after the HPC panel found his fitness to practise impaired by reason of misconduct.

Sreenivas rubbed one client’s chest, legs and groin area after demanding she wear shorts to her appointment.

He also told another women, “let me stop before I get carried away” during an ‘inappropriate massage, the Health Professions Council (HPC) heard.

Giving his defence, Sreenivas claimed patient B asked for a full massage but he said he did not touch her breasts, legs or vaginal area.

Sexual motive

The panel found the bulk of the allegations against Sreenivas proved, including that his motivation was indecent and or sexual and that by reason of that misconduct his fitness to practise was impaired.

HPC panel chairman John Williams said: “There was no clinical justification for performing front massage on Patient A and Patient B. The panel is satisfied that there was sexual motivation in the actions and comments of the registrant towards all three complainants.
“His actions amounted to a breach of trust which a patient is entitled to place in a treating physiotherapist, caused them to suffer a loss of dignity and were not clinically justifiable.

“The panel is very concerned that the registrant does not have in place the appropriate moral boundary in relation to his professional conduct and treatment of female patients.
“It is the panel’s primary duty to protect the public.” Sreenivas has 28 days to appeal the decision.

Compromise bid

Following his suspension in October last year, Sreenivas wrote to one of the women stating if she carried her complaint further, it “would ruin his life and his family’s future” in a bid to get her to halt proceedings against him.