Sunshine Coast doctor reprimanded over sexual relationship with patient

A well known Sunshine Coast GP has been publicly denounced for having had a sexual relationship with a patient and inappropriately prescribing her anti-anxiety pills.

A well known Sunshine Coast doctor who owns medical centres has been publicly reprimanded for having a sexual relationship with a patient whom he also employed.

Dr Richard John Heath, who owns Noosa Health Centres, also provided inappropriate medical treatment, prescribing and delivering anti-anxiety drugs which the woman used to overdose.

Dr Heath, 63, owns Sunrise Beach and Mount Coolum Medical Centres and practises as a GP anaesthetist at Nambour Day Surgery.

He began seeing the woman as a patient from 2010 and between 2011 and 2018 she continued to see him at Mount Coolum Medical Centre, the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal heard.

In 2015, Dr Heath employed the patient as a casual receptionist at Mount Coolum Medical Centre and continued to provide her with occasional treatment, the tribunal said.

From February 2016, after Dr Heath’s marriage had broken down, he and the patient became “sexually intimate’’, but he continued to treat her for minor medical issues.

The tribunal heard that in late 2017 the pair decided to end the sexual aspect of their friendship, but the occasional work and treatment relationships continued.

Dr Richard Heath of Noosa Health Centres has been publicly reprimanded by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Picture: Noosa Health Centres/Facebook

Dr Heath arranged for the woman and the children to appear on his private health insurance, which he paid for, after he became aware of difficulties she was having with the father of her children.

After he bought an investment property in early 2018, Dr Heath rented it to the woman for $400 a week.

The tribunal said before the evening of April 29, 2018, Dr Heath had never prescribed the patient with any drugs of dependence or treated her for mental health problems.

On that night the patient contacted him, saying she was feeling stressed about her relationship with her children’s father and she asked him to provide her with Lorazepam.

The doctor told the patient he would drop around to see her and bring a filled prescription for 5mg Diazepam.

The tribunal heard Dr Heath then went to the patient’s home and assessed her, finding she was experiencing acute stress and anxiety, but was not depressed.

He then provided the woman with a filled prescription pack of 50 tablets of Diazepam, but did not make any clinical record of his attendance, assessment or treatment.

After Dr Heath left, the patient overdosed by swallowing all 50 tablets, the tribunal heard.

Dr Heath, who felt “uneasy’’ about her subdued state, returned and found the patient unconscious and called for an ambulance and stayed with her children.

The patient was taken to hospital and treated for the overdose.

Dr. Richard Heath in 2011. Picture: Geoff Potter

The tribunal found the doctor’s sexual relationship with the patient was professional misconduct and his inappropriate medical treatment was unsatisfactory professional performance.

“Any sexual activity with a patient, including consensual activity and activity initiated by the patient, is a serious departure from professional standards,’’ QCAT deputy president Judge John Allen said.

The Health Ombudsman pointed to the substantial power imbalance in the doctor and patient, employer and employee and landlord and tenant relationships.

A lawyer for the doctor said the sexual conduct took place only on four occasions over 12 months.

The tribunal member took into account the fact that Dr Heath had already had three months’ suspension before conditions were put on his registration and he had demonstrated insight and remorse.

On February 10 Judge Allen ordered that Dr Heath be reprimanded, saying it was a public denunciation of his conduct.