Panel hearing summary 2013.0169

Decision of the Psychology Board of Australia

Performance and Professional Standards panel

Jurisdiction: South Australia
Date of Hearing: 1 July 2013
Date of Decision: 25 July 2013

Classification of Notification:

Health report – delay or failure to provide.

Failure to record/convey/respond to messages.

Allegations/Issues

The Board alleged that:

1. The practitioner failed to provide the patient with a treating practitioner’s report in relation to a civil claim, after accepting instructions to do so from the patient’s legal representative. In particular:
   1. the practitioner failed to inform the patient’s legal representative that when the report was initially requested, it they believed that the patient was still significantly symptomatic and that they held concerns that the patient would cease treatment upon provision of the report without making a proper recovery. 
   2. the practitioner still failed to provide a treating practitioner’s report after stopping treatment, despite attempts from the patient and their legal representative to obtain this. 
   3. the practitioner failed to appreciate the impact of their failure to provide a treating practitioner’s report about the progress of the patient’s civil claim and further, the impact that this may have on the patient’s health and psychological wellbeing. 
   4. That the practitioner’s failure to respond to communications from the patient’s legal representative about a mutual client reflected negatively on the psychology profession.
2. That the practitioner failed to respond to AHPRA and the Board in a timely and informative manner in dealings about the notification.

Finding

Unprofessional conduct.

Determination

The panel reprimanded the practitioner and imposed conditions requiring supervision and review of clinical practice for a two year period.