Dr. Eren Battaloglu, a general practitioner working in Birmingham since 2020, has been removed from the medical register following serious professional misconduct. The doctor engaged in a deeply inappropriate sexual relationship with a patient, Ms. A, and asked her to purchase illegal drugs for him, exploiting her vulnerability.
The relationship began after Dr. Battaloglu and Ms. A met on an online platform. Ms. A later discovered he was her GP at Soho Road Health Centre. Despite her initial surprise and discomfort, their sexual encounters became frequent, with Battaloglu providing her with money on multiple occasions. Although Battaloglu maintained that the relationship was limited and claimed ignorance of her patient status initially, an independent tribunal found the relationship had continued longer and involved repeated misconduct.
During their relationship, Dr. Battaloglu sent Ms. A sexually explicit WhatsApp messages, visited her home to consume alcohol, and knowingly accepted illicit drug use. Ms. A, who had significant mental health challenges and substance dependency, confided in him that she was pregnant with his child. Dr. Battaloglu improperly involved himself in the situation by discussing abortion options and suggesting methods to induce a pregnancy termination—an unethical violation due to the personal nature of their relationship.
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While Battaloglu claimed to have overcome his substance abuse issues and characterized the incident as an isolated lapse in an otherwise clean career record, the tribunal found otherwise. The medical panel highlighted his ongoing risk to public safety and the severity of breaching the patient-doctor trust dynamic. His behavior was described as undermining public confidence in the medical profession.
The tribunal was critical of Dr. Battaloglu’s self-focused reflections, noting insufficient regard for the profound impact on Ms. A. Given the serious misconduct and public risk, the panel concluded that erasure from the medical register was necessary, overriding any claims of rehabilitation.
Dr. Battaloglu’s registration was suspended immediately following a General Medical Council hearing on April 23. He originally qualified as a doctor in 2013 and worked across various medical roles in Birmingham before the incidents came to light.