A THERAPIST who caused distress to a mental health patient he moved in with has been struck-off.

Shaun Gastall, an occupational therapist employed by North East London NHS Foundation (NELFT), befriended a “vulnerable” service user, identified only as Ms A, a Health Professions Committee (HPC) hearing heard.

During 2007 and 2008 Mr Gastall borrowed money from Ms A, lived with her on two separate occasions and caused her distress by drinking excessively.

The committee also heard that Mr Gastall, who was not directly responsible for Ms A's care, borrowed money from the woman and disclosed confidential information, telling her that her keyworker found her “difficult to deal with”

Mr Gastall also told her if she told anyone he was living with her she would lose access to services.

Ms A became distressed and lost confidence in those providing her care as a result of Gastall’s behaviour, the HPC committee decided.

The ruling said: “This was behaviour of the utmost gravity.

“By his actions Mr Gastall demonstrated a comprehensive disregard for proper boundaries with the consequence that the trust of a vulnerable person was seriously compromised.

“By his response in the Trust investigation Mr Gastall not only failed to acknowledge any wrongdoing, but positively and arrogantly asserted that his behaviour had been proper.

“The public is entitled to be protected from a professional who is capable of behaving in this way, and the only way in which that protection can be afforded is by a striking-off order.”

Mr Gastall first met Ms A at an art exhibition when she was introduced to him by her own occupational therapist.

MR Gastall and Ms A began to socialise together and in early 2007, following a threat of homelessness, Ms A offered to let him stay at her flat.

He lived there for a few months, but Mr Gastall began to behave erratically, drinking excessively and leaving the flat for days without saying where he was going.

In June 2007, Ms A asked him to leave and despite having a room at a nurses' home, he kept keys to Ms A's flat.

He remained until early 2008 when he finally responded to Ms A’s requests to leave.