A dermatologist has been found to have breached a patient's rights for performing surgery on an old chickenpox scar instead of skin cancer.
After the surgery it was found the dermatologist had operated on the scar above the skin cancer lesion. Photo: 123RF
A woman aged in her forties was referred to the dermatologist in 2018 after a lesion was identified on her forehead.
Around 24 hours after the surgery, it was found the dermatologist had operated instead on the scar that was above the lesion.
Deputy health and disability commissioner Rose Wall recommended the dermatologist arrange that an audit is carried out of the same type of surgeries he performs over the next three months.