Sex charges see GP struck off

A former Queenstown family doctor was struck off the medical register by the Health Practitioners' Disciplinary Tribunal yesterday over a sexual relationship with a woman patient.

Dr Adam Jeremy Nuttall had already pleaded guilty to four charges, relating to events in Queenstown and overseas, before the tribunal hearing held in Wellington yesterday, said tribunal spokeswomen.

The first charge was that Dr Nuttall began an inappropriate and/or sexual relationship with the patient in or about June 1993, when aware she was vulnerable or at risk because of marital problems and other sensitive matters for which he had been counselling her.

Dr Nuttall was also charged with continuing to treat the woman and her children as their family doctor from June 1993 to August or September 1994, having entered a sexual relationship with the patient.

The third charge was he continued to prescribe medication, complete certificates, write medical reports and/or letters for the woman when they were in a sexual relationship and she had started consulting another doctor, from about March 1995 to at least March 31, 1998.

Dr Nuttall was also charged with not making adequate notes in the woman's medical records about his consultations with her, particularly when she went to him for counselling about marital problems and sensitive issues, from 1991 to about August-September 1994.

Charge sheets stated that the charges, separately or combined, amounted to professional misconduct. The charges were laid under the Health Practitioner Competency Assurance Act 2003, tribunal spokeswomen confirmed.

In a verbal decision yesterday, the tribunal ordered that Dr Nuttall be removed from the register of medical practitioners, meaning he can no longer practice in New Zealand.

The tribunal also ruled that Dr Nuttall could not apply for registration until he had been assessed by the sexual misconduct assessment team and complied with its directions and requirements.

The tribunal has not yet considered whether to award costs against the doctor or to impose a penalty payment.

Doctors can be fined up to $30,000.

A full written decision is expected in about three or four weeks.

- NZPA