A former North Shore chiropractor has been suspended for eight months. Photo / 123RF
A former North Shore chiropractor has been suspended for eight months. Photo / 123RF
A chiropractor of 40 years has been suspended after a two-year sexual relationship with a female patient, with a tribunal finding the relationship breached ethical standards.
The former North Shore chiropractor, Dr William “Bill” Donaldson, was censured and suspended for eight months by the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal.
While the tribunal’s determination was made in September, the decision was only published to its website this week.
According to the facts, Donaldson trained in Melbourne and in 2004 established the Real Health Clinic in Auckland. The business has since been sold.
Donaldson began treating a patient identified in the decision only as Mrs O in early 2016. Her child was also a patient of his.
While the parties did not agree on who “initiated the attraction”, Donaldson accepted he discussed starting a sexual relationship with the woman in October of that year.
“Initially, Dr Donaldson and [Mrs O] met two to three times a week in the morning to conduct their sexual relationship,” the decision said. Contact eventually increased, with the pair typically meeting every weekday. She attended actual appointments every two weeks.
Former North Shore chiropractor Dr William "Bill" Donaldson has been suspended for eight months by the Health Practicioners Disciplinary Tribunal.
The relationship was consensual and both Donaldson and the woman expressed their love for each other.
Mrs O stopped attending appointments towards the end of 2018 but Donaldson continued to provide treatment to her child, which the tribunal viewed as an aggravating factor in his disciplinary case.
The woman later complained to the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) in mid-2019. In November 2020, the deputy commissioner found Donaldson had breached the HDC code relating to professional and ethical standards.
The tribunal’s director of proceedings then laid three charges against Donaldson following the HDC finding.
There was evidence Mrs O was suffering from anxiety and grief, being described as “extremely vulnerable” in the decision.
The tribunal said it didn’t appear Donaldson took advantage of her vulnerability or was predatory, but there was a power imbalance.
It ruled Donaldson’s behaviour was “unethical and a serious departure from expected standards”, likely to bring the profession into disrepute.
“The sexual relationship spanned two years and was intense. It cannot be characterised as a one-off lapse in judgment.”
As part of the earlier HDC determination, Donaldson had agreed to work four half-days per week and share all new patients with other chiropractors at the clinic.
When it came to the tribunal’s determination, it concluded suspension was preferable to cancellation.
Donaldson was suspended from practice for eight months, censured and should he recommence practice will be required to undergo professional supervision. He was also ordered to pay $6300 in costs.
Donaldson sought a permanent name suppression order on the basis of protecting his family and the new owner of his former business. The tribunal declined the application.
The decision noted Donaldson ceased practice in New Zealand in late 2020 and now lived in Australia.
