Panel hearing summary 2023.0924

Decision of the Psychology Board of Australia

Performance and professional standards panel

Jurisdiction: Queensland
Date of Decision: 1 April 2024

Classification of Notification

Boundary violation - Other inappropriate relationship (non-sexual)

Summary

The Board referred allegations that the Practitioner engaged in breaches of professional boundaries by entering into a personal and/or commercial relationship with a client, and that the the Practitioner had breached various sections of the Australian Psychological Society’s Code of Ethics including by failing to act with care and skill, failing to appropriately terminate the treating relationship and failing to make adequate clinical notes. 

The Panel found that the Practitioner had engaged in unsatisfactory professional performance and unprofessional conduct under sections 191(1)(b)(i) and 191(1)(b)(ii) of the National Law, respectively, and that he had breached various standards of the Code. The Panel decided to caution the Practitioner and impose conditions on his registration requiring he work only in approved places of practice and that in the event he return to clinical work that he be required to undertake supervision. The Panel considered that the caution and conditions imposed are reflective of the seriousness of the Practitioner’s conduct and performance.

Whilst the Panel considered that the Practitioner had not demonstrated adequate insight as to how his conduct/performance contributed to the events the subject of the notification against him, and had failed to demonstrate an adequate understanding of his professional and ethical obligations, in circumstances where the Practitioner was no longer undertaking clinical work, it was of the view that any risk was significantly mitigated.