Patient opinions of GP Thomas Plimmer are effusive of their reward. He is an “empathetic” physician, a “good listener” with a “kind manner”. All accolades any physician could be happy with, not least one working in a apply with a bulging affected person listing.
Quite what these sufferers have to be pondering of Dr Thomas Plimmer’s “bedside” method now could be much less sure, for the good-looking 40-year-old Cambridge University-educated medic has this week discovered himself thrust into the highlight at a medical tribunal during which he stands accused of a string of lurid and decidedly unpalatable allegations.
Plimmer, who has a minimum of two levels from Cambridge (one in pathology, the opposite drugs) faces accusations from half a dozen ladies about his behaviour, together with a “vulnerable” colleague who claims he pressured her into weekly intercourse periods at his GP apply in Wiltshire.
The physician’s consulting rooms are alleged to have been the chosen assembly level for liaisons. These included at the least two ladies he met on courting websites. He is accused of participating in intercourse acts with them throughout working hours, a few of which he admits.
Unsolicited images of a sexual nature, messages laden with innuendo, the listing of allegations is surprising to say the least; not least the declare that he instructed one lady to kill herself after she accused him of sexually harassing her.
In that case he claims there had been a consensual relationship between them, whereas he admits sending express photographs to her and one other lady.
The particulars of this unsavoury saga have been performed out over video convention this week, at a web-based listening to of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.
Quite what the tribunal will resolve in regards to the behaviour and actions of Dr Plimmer stays to be seen.
But because the Mail has found this week, Thomas Plimmer is, by his personal admission, a physician with what may be delicately put as a less-than-conventional method to private relationships.
On Thursday, certainly one of his accusers instructed the tribunal Plimmer was a “sex addict” who would focus on together with her his “untreated sex addiction”. ’” was used as an object who stored a intercourse addict from being bored,” mentioned the girl, a colleague of the medic, who yesterday claimed Plimmer had pressurised her to hitch him at a Birmingham intercourse membership he attended.
Her, at occasions harrowing, at occasions sordid, proof included the lurid declare that the physician had instructed her he had offered her soiled underwear on eBay. Tom Day, representing Plimmer, prompt a list of encounters have been solely consensual, to which the girl replied: “There were times I did what I was supposed to do. I served my purpose in amusing him on a day at work. There was a pattern of grooming.”
And intercourse dependancy is one thing on which Plimmer himself has beforehand spoken, giving a candid interview to a Sunday newspaper in 2016 about his battle with the situation.
Under the headline “I was a GP . . . how could I also be a sex addict,” the physician, who was photographed however used his mom’s maiden identify reasonably than his skilled surname, spoke of residing a “double life”.
“On the face of it, I had a life most people would envy — a happy relationship and a well-paid, steady job as a GP,” he instructed the Sunday Mirror. “I had convinced myself I would never be found out.
“But eventually my world crashed down around me and I ended up on the brink of suicide.”
He went on to explain a sexual compulsion that struck from the age of 10 and developed additional as he hit his teenage years.
Plimmer additionally recounted that from his very first severe relationship, aged 18, he had been perennially untrue. “I’ve never been faithful to any of them,” he mentioned of his girlfriends. “I’ve slept with almost 90 women.”
The medic, who graduated from St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, in 2007 and commenced his profession as a GP in Huntingdon, Cambs, described scouring the web for porn and arranging to satisfy ladies for intercourse on courting websites, whereas in a relationship with a fellow GP, till in the future “my lies caught up with me”.
He was, he mentioned, dumped and sacked, after checks on his web historical past have been carried out.
His confessional account is each surprising and distressing. ’The disgrace of confessing to my mum that I used to be hooked on intercourse was insufferable. I hit all-time low and I virtually hanged myself twice.’
Back in 2016 he praised Sex Addicts Anonymous (and a 12-step restoration programme similar to Alcoholics Anonymous) for saving his life.
“I realised sex was filling a void in my life because I wasn’t happy with who I was as a person,” he mentioned. “I’ve also had a lot of psychotherapy and, although I’ve had a few relapses, I feel like I am in recovery.”
Curiously the interview for the well being pages of the Sunday Mirror got here simply three months after the physician had given one other interview, this time utilizing his precise surname, to a different nationwide newspaper, this time about faking orgasms. Easily abashed he isn’t.
In 2016, Plimmer was hopeful of two issues: writing a guide and dealing as a physician once more. Whether he has penned a guide stays to be seen (he did lately pop up as an skilled within the pages of Stylist journal as regards to habits that may help your hormonal stability), however as this week’s tribunal has made clear, he did handle to attain the second of these ambitions.
He was working as a GP throughout his varied alleged encounters together with his accusers, which stretch from 2018 to 2021. In May 2018, the tribunal heard, he met a lady generally known as Miss C on a courting app, took her to the tennis at Wimbledon and even had dinner together with her mother and father, earlier than making excuses to not see her.
Among the pretexts he’s mentioned to have used was the well being of his mom — a gorgeous, very sprightly 72-year-old, who declined to remark when approached by the Mail this week.
He mentioned she had had “several serious strokes” and wanted to be in a rehab facility and likewise claimed his brother, two years his senior, was unwell in hospital when he cancelled dates with one other lady.
But Mark Monaghan, representing the General Medical Council, mentioned: “It was completely fabricated. He is a frequent, plausible and regular liar . . . these were deliberate lies to allow him to juggle and see other women instead.”
Truth or lies; for the reason that allegations Plimmer has not being working as a GP however, in response to his LinkedIn profile, final July launched as a “mind, body and emotional wellness practitioner” (his phrases), in Gloucester, the place he lives.
The medic’s skilled social media pages name him a “former GP”. He additionally goes by the skilled identify Dr Matthew, his center identify, and he introduces himself thus: “I qualified as medical doctor in 2007, working in various areas of medicine and then became a GP in 2012.
“I have met thousands of patients struggling with daily existence, who feel unfulfilled, keep on making the same “mistakes” and really feel helpless. Myself included.
“Having witnessed this for years I decided there has got to be more to life than just survival. So, I chose to devote my time to studying and practising an holistic mind, body and emotional approach. I combine my expertise in medicine, physics, psychology, biology and philosophy to help others heal, experience true wellness and discover their full exceptional potential.”
Testimonials on his firm web site this week included a glowing report from Gloucestershire University about seminars to workers, though by Thursday night the college identify had been changed by the phrases ’an institute of upper training’.
There are additionally testimonials from “school staff” and “parents”, though what institution this refers to is unclear.
Clearly in demand, earlier this 12 months he was in Cambridge delivering a workshop on the science behind the “therapeutic benefits of art, movement and colour” and he has additionally lately fashioned a part of a panel providing males assist in serving to their companions address the menopause.
His web site provides free preliminary consultations, with personal periods from £65 via to packages for employers and teams starting from £250 to £775.
Having attended top-performing King Edward VI College, in Stourbridge, earlier than successful a spot at Cambridge, Plimmer now additionally cites diplomas in neuro and behavioural psychology, neuroplasticity, emotional intelligence, epigenetics and quantum physics on his web site. The latter is “very relevant, I assure you,” guests to the positioning are instructed.
He has additionally embraced meditation and mindfulness and his social media pages are peppered with encouragement to his followers, navigating the hurdles of life. Empathy, disgrace and acceptance are repeat hashtags. In July, he put up an instructive put up about disgrace and being trapped in unhelpful patterns of behaviour on his Instagram account. “What is the answer “ he wrote. “Firstly, accepting the behaviours and secretes [sic] you are responsible for, nothing more, nothing less.
“Secondly, have empathy for yourself. You are not the sum total of your unhelpful behaviours and secretes, you are many other things too, lots of them positive: you are human; we all fall short at times; you are worthy.
“Thirdly, surround yourself with empathy both in terms of your environment and the people in it.”
His final put up was on Monday when he uploaded {a photograph} of a yellow ribbon, acknowledging that September 10 had been World Suicide Prevention Day.
The accompanying message ended thus: “The good news is that emotional pain, which is energy, can be eased and transformed into healing, wisdom, compassion and life.”
Clearly Plimmer has been on an emotional journey of his personal, however what the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service will finally resolve in regards to the allegations earlier than them and the cricket-loving medic’s freedom to practise as a physician stays to be seen.
Contacted by the Mail, a scrupulously well mannered and well-spoken Plimmer mentioned: “The hearing is still ongoing and I will be under oath soon so unfortunately I am unable to comment on anything at the moment I’m afraid.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
