Doctor under scrutiny for allegedly sharing video of encounter
A New Zealand doctor is facing professional misconduct proceedings amid claims of inappropriate conduct involving a patient he met online, according to reports.
The doctor, whose identity is suppressed, appeared before the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal over allegations he blurred the line between his personal and professional roles, the New Zealand Herald reported.
The case stems from his relationship with a married woman, referred to as Ms G, who testified that the pair engaged in a consensual sexual relationship rooted in a dominant-submissive dynamic.
Dr. Jonathon Coates, counsel for the Professional Conduct Committee, argued that despite the consensual nature of the relationship, the doctor committed serious breaches of professional conduct.
The allegations include claims the doctor had sex with the woman in his office, filmed her during submissive acts, and accessed her medical records without proper authorisation.
Ms G testified that he performed a vaginal swab on her during one encounter at his workplace, later prescribing antibiotics. She claimed the examination occurred after she expressed concerns about a possible vaginal imbalance.
"I felt I had to let him because he was being persistent,” she told the tribunal.
According to the New Zealand Herald, Ms G described multiple sexual encounters at the doctor's workplace, including one instance on a couch in his office.
"I remember having sex on the leather couch," she stated. The doctor has denied these allegations.
The woman also alleged the doctor filmed her without her consent to share the content, saying she was later told by an associate that he had shown another woman a sexual video of her.
"I was concerned that [doctor] is going around telling people about our relationship and showing messages about myself to other people," she testified as quoted by the Herald.
During cross-examination, the doctor's lawyer, Harry Waalkens, questioned Ms G's motives, suggesting she wanted to damage his reputation.
She denied the accusation: "I don't want to destroy anybody."
The tribunal heard that while Ms G initially did not know the man was a doctor, she later became aware of his profession when he provided medical treatment during their relationship.
The New Zealand Herald reported that the hearing remains ongoing under strict suppression orders.
