|
|
Allegations of Sexual
Abuse in NZ |
|
|
|
|
Patients at risk by not suspending
convicted sex abuser, New Plymouth GP Hiran Fernando, earlier. It is now reviewing whether it
took the right actions when women first complained in the 1980s and when the
latest 37 charges of sexual assault were first filed by police in court. Safer Centre spokeswoman Lorraine
Jans, a New Plymouth sexual abuse counsellor, said the Medical Council was
wrong in protecting Fernando and allowing him to continue to practice. Any other professional body
charged with keeping people safe would have suspended that person, she said. Yesterday, Medical Council chief
executive Philip Pigou said it was very distressed with Fernando's
"appalling offending". "It's more distressing for
the victims and the council apologises for the behaviour of Dr Fernando to
the victims," Mr Pigou said. "In a sentential event of
this nature we would look at our processes to see did we do it well, did we
do it poorly, or should we have taken different actions." Mr Pigou said that from June last
year the council required Fernando to have a chaperone and not to undertake
intimate examinations – except in an emergency. He conceded that women patients
who went to Fernando since restrictions were put in place might have been
unaware of them because of the court's name suppression. "That is possible, I do
agree. "If that situation has
arisen, then we need to think about it in terms of our processes." While the Medical Council always
monitored the conditions it placed on people, it could not be in the surgery
and stay for every consultation, Mr Pigou said. Ms Jans said a doctor's job was to
keep their patients safe. She said counsellors would not be
able to continue working if they were under investigation. "Our
membership (of the NZ Association of Counsellors) would be instantly voided.
We would be suspended until the investigation was completed." The same would happen with
teachers or daycare workers, she said. "How come doctors can
continue to practise? "The council needs to get
into the 21st century. Things have changed from when doctors were gods on
pedestals." Ms Jans said the Safer Centre had
had calls from four other women who said they too had been abused by the
doctor. "Most did not want to lay
complaints but wanted other women to know they supported them in being strong
enough to take it to court. "I would not be surprised if
others came forward now that these women have found justice." Ms Jans said the situation was
made worse because the council had known for 20 years about Fernando's sexual
offending. Two female patients had complained
to the council about him indecently assaulting them in his surgery in 1984
and 1989. One was 17 at the time. Some complainants had been left
traumatised both by the offending and by the court process, she said.
"Some of them are very angry at the way they were treated in
court." Mr Pigou said that under section
59 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act, it would take
several weeks for the council to decide if it would stop Fernando practising.
A letter was sent to him yesterday
requiring a response in a week. The council has asked Fernando not to
practise during the time it would take for the process to be completed. When asked why Fernando's removal
from practising could not be immediate, Mr Pigou said the act did not allow
for this. |
