A medical practitioner was recently found guilty of professional misconduct in relation to his assessment of a patient in an emergency department on one occasion, his prescription of schedule 4 drugs and his relationship with her during a subsequent 3 week period.

A recent Tribunal decision provides a reminder for practitioners that having personal and sexual relationships with those close to a patient is considered to be as much a boundary violation as having such relationships with patients.

The appellant in this matter was suspended from practising as a registered health practitioner for a period of four months from 7 December 2015. 

The Civil and Administrative Tribunal of New South Wales recently dealt with a complaint brought by the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) in relation to allegations that a psychologist had an inappropriate relationship with a patient whilst continuing to treat the patient. 

The Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) alleged that the practitioner the subject of these disciplinary proceedings was guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct and professional misconduct in relation to the manner of his prescribing of benzodiazepines to 19 patients, for breaching conditions that had been placed on his registration not to prescribe schedule 4 or schedule 8 drugs and as a result of the appropriateness of his medical records in 27 instances.