Bruce Desmond Litchfield found guilty of misconduct

A NSW doctor has been found guilty of misconduct after he questioned a patient for graphic details and told her to watch an explicit video. Here are the details.

A NSW doctor has been found guilty of misconduct after a patient who disclosed a history of sexual violence said he questioned her for graphic details and told her to watch an explicit documentary.

Bruce Desmond Litchfield was suspended from practice in 1996 for nine months and then had his name removed from the medical registry in 1997 after he was found to be motivated by sexual gratification when touching multiple women’s breasts while examining them, and placing one patient’s hands on his own genitalia.

He failed twice but was reinstated in 2012, working as a general practitioner at Kennedy Drive Medical Centre in Tweed Heads in 2018.

On August 31, 2022 The Civil and Administrative Tribunal found Litchfield guilty of professional misconduct and unsatisfactory professional conduct and are also considering “onerous conditions” to be imposed if his registration is not cancelled.

It was alleged that Litchfield made inappropriate comments to a patient during consultations and asked her inappropriate questions about her previous abusive relationship.

The recent complaint stems from one of Litchfield’s patients who in 2019 told him that she was being treated by a psychologist for PTSD and was getting help for sexual violence following a four-year history of assaults by her ex-husband.

In a statement the woman said she told Litchfield ‘a very brief outline’ of the abuse she endured and Litchfield said “and in those four years you didn’t ever put your hand up to stop it?”.

“He then stated you must be into S & M – sadomasochism and I said no. I am not. I was raped,” she wrote.

The tribunal heard Litchfield allegedly purported to provide psychological counselling to the patient about topics which he knew were already being addressed by specialists, and were likely to be distressing and had the potential to compromise the patient’s health.

After her appointment she recalled Litchfield’s last words “There’s a documentary called 100 Vaginas. I think it would be good for you to watch”.

She reported these conversations to her psychologist.

Litchfield denies some and admits to other comments he made, including telling the woman she should try dating sites.

Litchfield acknowledged he pressed the patient for information about the sexual assaults that started her PTSD, and “tested the integrity of her narrative”.

The Tribunal remarked that “The unsatisfactory professional conduct which we have found proved involves serious boundary violations with insensitive, offensive and inappropriate remarks to a patient who the Respondent knew, or should have known, was vulnerable and whose health was likely to be adversely impacted by such violations.”

Litchfield presented evidence at tribunal hearings in November 2021, and January 2022, of his Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis.

His inability to understand boundary violations and the causing of social distress was confirmed by a medical expert.