Vet struck off for ‘serious abuse of position’ in medication case

A vet based in north Wales has been struck off after she obtained a prescription-only medication intending it to be used by her husband.

Alina Grecko told an RCVS disciplinary committee she had been “led by love” when she asked colleagues to order the product and make false records about it.

But the panel said she presented a “significant risk” of further misconduct, noting that a previous case against her bore several similarities with the current process.

Speaking after the hearing, committee chairperson Paul Morris said her conduct was “incompatible with continued registration”.

False records

The case, which was the subject of a four-day hearing, related to an incident in January 2022, when Mrs Grecko was working at a Vets4Pets practice in Rhyl.

She admitted that she had asked one colleague, an RVN, to order the anti-fungal product griseofulvin and a second colleague, an SVN, to falsely record that it was for her dog, further conceding those actions amounted to serious professional misconduct.

She told the panel she had felt pressured to obtain the product after being contacted by her husband, who was working in London at the time.

Further allegation

She also denied a further allegation of asking the same SVN to record the order in the name of another vet, who was out of the country at the time, claiming she had been clear with colleagues as to the true nature of her intentions for the medication.

But the committee found that matter to be proved as well, on the basis of what they viewed as the “consistent” evidence of the SVN who was asked to complete the record and the RVN who heard the discussion between Mrs Grecko and the SVN.

The panel was also shown the findings of a previous disciplinary hearing against Mrs Grecko, dating back to 2011, in which she admitted having prescribed medicines for her own use and dishonestly claiming they were for legitimate veterinary purposes.

‘Serious abuse’

The committee had earlier deemed the material to be relevant to the present hearing, following a request from the college’s legal team that was opposed by Mrs Grecko, who represented herself at the hearing.

While Mrs Grecko argued that no animals had been harmed and no one was put at risk through her actions, Mr Morris said the committee felt they amounted to “a serious abuse of her position”.

He added: “Although it was acknowledged that Mrs Grecko may have been subject to some conflicting demands, being affected by her husband’s interests and may have felt a pressure to act, the committee considered that she had completely failed to acknowledge and respect her overriding professional responsibilities.”

Mrs Grecko has 28 days to lodge an appeal against her removal from the register, from the day she was notified of the decision.