Psychologist slammed over treatment of patient

A psychologist has been censured and now faces further disciplinary action for professional misconduct relating to his treatment of a patient.

A Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal found the man had sent confidential files on a woman patient (Ms R) to police and her ex-husband, after the patient-doctor relationship became strained over ACC funding issues.

The psychologist has interim name suppression and the woman permanent name suppression.

The psychologist alleged Ms R was making false claims to ACC – a complaint which police decided not to follow up.

In an attempt to strengthen his position he had contacted the ex-husband and given him files on Ms R.

That communication presented a threat to the woman, as she had allegedly been abused by him in the past, the tribunal found.

When Ms R heard about the contact she complained to the Psychologists Board, saying she believed the psychologist was trying to provoke her ex-husband against her.

A hearing pitted Ms R and the psychologist against each other and in 2005 the board queried his competence and determined it would not renew his practising certificate.

Some of the information the psychologist later sent to police, which alleged Ms R had lied at the board hearing, included extracts subject to suppression orders.

The psychologist appealed the board's decision through the court system, without success.

In a report released this week, the tribunal said disclosure of the information to police and the ex-husband was not authorised and not justified, and Ms R had every reason to feel threatened by the breaches.

The report also noted the psychologist's behaviour in dismissing, and being angry about, the call from police that his allegations about Ms R misleading ACC were not a police matter.

Throughout the drawn-out process, the psychologist had put his own interests ahead of his client's.

The tribunal concluded the matters were serious and warranted discipline and has called for submissions from the psychologist and the board's professional conduct committee as to what form that will take.