Healthcare worker who viewed child abuse imagery wants job back

The healthcare worker viewed the images over a 14-year period. Photo / Thinkstock

A suspended healthcare professional who admitted repeatedly viewing images of children being sexually abused wants to return to work.

The Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) told the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal yesterday the man's offending was unusual for its persistence.

The tribunal said there was no doubt the man's habit of viewing images of child abuse over a amounted to misconduct but it reserved its decision on what his penalty would be.

The practitioner, who previously held a senior position at a hospital and had name suppression, said relapses would follow periods of "abstinence" where he avoided viewing the images of prepubescent girls.

"It's a bit like an alcoholic...One is too many and 1000 is not enough," he told the tribunal. "I wasn't sure how to help myself."

The practitioner claimed he was sickened after belatedly learning the imagery involved child abuse and repeated victimisation of children.

"I feel absolutely terrible that I was a part of this industry and it shocks me nowadays that I would even view this material."

But the tribunal also heard the practitioner was not "entirely frank" about his problems earlier and had misled a counsellor about the habit.

The PCC said that prior to 2008, the practitioner's longest stint of abstinence was about six months. But when he resumed his habit, his focus was on "avoiding detection" rather than reforming.

The PCC also said the man sought psychological help "too late" and ignored "multiple opportunities to take rehabilitative steps."

The tribunal said unresolved issues remained before it could decide how - if he were ever reinstated - the practitioner could be monitored.

The practitioner said he was willing to undergo a sexual misconduct assessment.

He said publication of his name would have a devastating impact on his family.

He also said he had already paid a heavy price.

"I've lost my family. I've lost my career. I've lost my income. I've lost any sort of feelings of self-worth through my actions."

He said he wanted to return to medicine where he would have the chance "to save lives".

The man could have his registration cancelled but his lawyer said this was too extreme a measure.

The lawyer said the client was capable of rehabilitation, that most images viewed involved sexualised poses rather than actual sexual conduct, and the practitioner admitted he had a problem.

"He's putting his hand up and saying: It's time for me to ask for help."

The tribunal initially indicated it would totally suppress all details of the case. Media and the PCC argued against this.

NZME argued the public and patients had a right to know about the case and the practitioner had ample time from 1999 to consider the negative impact his misconduct would have on family members.

It also said publishing facts would quash speculation, rumour and innuendo, and that some arguments advanced in favour of suppression - including the socioeconomic status of the practitioner's family - were specious.

The PCC said the interests of publication and transparency outweighed the practitioner's private interests.

The tribunal eventually allowed publication on the proviso the man's identity was suppressed.