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Relationship with former patient unwise…
The Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal has found that a physiotherapist’s relationship with a former patient was unwise, but not warranting of a disciplinary sanction.
The physiotherapist had seen the patient on three occasions and shortly after the therapeutic relationship ended they started a friendship.
The Tribunal found that this relationship was as friends only and that it was a relationship between equals in which the patient was happy to take part. There was no abuse of any power imbalance.
The Tribunal found that the physio had been very unwise to enter into such a relationship shortly after the patient relationship ended, but that no disciplinary sanction was necessary in the circumstances.
Alan Knowsley
Medical Lawyer
Wellington
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