A MUNDARING doctor has been reprimanded and suspended for engaging in professional misconduct and must undertake and successfully complete a program of education, approved by the Medical Board of Australia.
On January 18 the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) ruled that medical practitioner Andrew Dunn, who has had his registration suspended for five months, must once his suspension has finished nominate an education course, assessment or program covering topics including sexual harassment and boundary violations as well as ethics and professional communication.
Once the training is completed the Mundaring Medical Centre GP has to provide to the medical board evidence that he has successfully reflected on his understanding of the power dynamics between medical practitioners and patients and how those dynamics affect interactions between them and how he would incorporate the lessons he had learnt into his medical practice.
SAT also ruled the GP, who has been practicing medicine for about 40 years, had to pay $20,000 towards the medical board’s costs.
The statement of agreed facts said on July 15, 2021 and then on October 12, 2022 the medical board received notifications in relation to the GP’s conduct both of which form part of the proceedings.
On February 6 last year the medical board decided to take immediate action under section 156 of the Schedule to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (WA) Act 2010 (National Law), by suspending the GP’s registration with his registration remaining suspended since then.
The statement of agreed facts said in October 2018 the GP told a female patient in her late 20s when she sought treatment for a urinary tract infection that “A girl who looks like you, you’re probably having it (sex) two or three times a day, so that might be too much. Sorry, I just had to say that.”
In June 2021 a female pharmaceutical sales representative attended the medical centre and the GP made inappropriate and sexualised comments to her.
Then in October 2022 the GP inappropriately and/or unprofessionally made use of the personal information obtained from a woman at her son’s appointment to visit her business in Glen Forrest and stayed there until he was asked to leave the premises.
