The Mental Health Commissioner has rebuked a psychiatrist and a nurse after they visited a patient at his home and he later sold them his house.
(File image). Photo: 123rf
Commissioner Kevin Allan said the pair assessed the man at home after he discharged himself from a five-day hospital detox programme.
During the assessment, they discussed the man needing to sell his house.
He then sold the property to the psychiatrist, with the nurse making frequent contact to progress the sale.
The man said he felt manipulated and pressured into selling his house and believed staff acted unprofessionally when he was in a vulnerable situation.
Mr Allan said the pair failed to maintain professional boundaries.
He found that the psychiatrist and nurse did not provide the man with services that complied with standards and that they breached the man's rights.
He said the pair, along with the district health board (DHB) they work for, should apologise and complete relevant training. It's been recommended for the DHB to consider how its codes of conduct and guidelines may be improved, provide refresher training to staff, and share any changes with other DHBs.
Mr Allan recommended that the Medical Council and the Nursing Council consider whether a review of the duo's competence was appropriate.
It has also been recommended to the councils to consider reviewing their standards and guidelines to give better understanding on the ethics of financial transactions between patients and providers.