Prof. Lois Surgenor1, Professor Kate Diesfeld, Associate Professor Marta Rychert, Ms Olivia Kelly, Dr Kate Kersey
1University Of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand, 3SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand, 4Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand, 5University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Biography:
Lois is a Professor in Psychological Medicine at the University of Otago, Christchurch and the Health Sciences Divisional Associate Dean (Academic). She previously chaired a NZ regulatory authority (NZ Psychologists Board, 2002-2011) and the collective 16 health regulatory authorities (HRANZ 2010-13). She has researched disciplinary and health rehabilitation for 18 years. As a clinical psychologist, she has chaired many PCCs and supervised disciplined practitioners who have been subject to supervision/educative penalties. Lois is the Co-Principal Investigator (with Professor Kate Diesfeld) of a Royal Society of NZ Marsden Fund focusing on professional misconduct rehabilitation.
Abstract:
All forms of sexual misconduct are considered serious breaches and are known to be underreported by both fellow practitioners and consumers. While sexual assaults and abuse are uniformly condemned, the subcategory of consensual sexual relationships has proven to be more fraught in terms of legal and ethical code responses. Ethical debates and codes have swung over time and differ between professions. Disciplinary bodies may be left grappling with what penalties best reduce the risk and assist the practitioner to return to safe practice, including when reapplying for registration if this was cancelled. Focusing on health practitioners, this session briefly summarises the shifting views over time and then discusses features of these published cases (N =39) before New Zealand’s Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal since 2003. It highlights practitioner, setting and victim characteristics, and the responses of the disciplinary body. Themes evident in these cases are used to illustrate risk factors and related psychological/situational backdrops which may inhibit practitioner insight.