High-profile Richmond doctor David Marsh banned from treating women after sexting patient

A high-profile doctor celebrated for his response to the 2002 Bali bombings is banned from treating women after sexting with a patient seeking mental health treatment.

Dr David Marsh was awarded an Order of Australia for his response to the 2002 Bali bombings. Picture: supplied

A high-profile Richmond doctor who was awarded an order of Australia medal for his response to the 2002 Bali bombings has been banned from treating women after sexting a vulnerable patient.

Dr David Marsh “preyed” upon a vulnerable hospital patient and gave her his number after suggesting she volunteer for the very charity he and his wife set up after the terror attack, a Tribunal has heard.

Dr Marsh, 72, challenged the female ban — saying he has been unable to work since it was issued last year — but Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal members Ian Proctor, Dr Patricia Molloy and Dr Laurie Warfe upheld the regulator’s decision this month.

They heard Dr Marsh and his patient – who he met when she was hospitalised for mental health treatment in 2018 – sent thousands of texts which “became increasingly sexual over time” and included explicit images.

Dr David Marsh set up a charity called the Marsh Foundation with his wife Clair. Picture: supplied

The woman, who has been diagnosed with complex post traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder and depression after childhood sexual abuse, sought help after her partner’s death from cancer and said the relationship with Dr Marsh caused her “major psychological or emotional harm”.

She said he was “flirtatious” during her admission, suggested she volunteer for the Marsh Foundation and called her — she presumes he got her number from hospital records — after she was discharged.

The Tribunal heard she said she wanted to be his mistress in February 2019 and he acted as her general practitioner – failing to disclose their relationship – three times when she was hospitalised again.

Dr Marsh denied the relationship was physical and the Tribunal accepted the texts did not support claims they had sex.

But they said they do not accept “all” of Dr Marsh’s denials as the texts suggest they engaged in foreplay when he visited her in hospital in May 2019.

After Dr Marsh began withdrawing from the relationship, the woman repeatedly threatened to report him before complaining to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency last year and launching legal action, which was ongoing as of last month.

Dr David Marsh has been banned from treating women. Picture: Robert McKenchnie

The regulator imposed the female ban in September while the allegations were investigated.

The woman said she now realised she had “been preyed upon”, and “David should never have contacted me when I was so vulnerable”.

The Tribunal said the sexting relationship alone was “reprehensible”, found Dr Marsh lied until he “was forced to admit” to the behaviour, and criticised his apparent belief that he was — at least to an extent — “a victim”.

“We are struck by the ease with which Dr Marsh started and then continued the sexual relationship,” they said.

The Medical Board of Australia said there was a “serious risk” he would “exploit female patients” if their ban was overturned.

Dr Marsh’s treating practitioners submitted his behaviour was out of character and that he suffered PTSD following his “heroic” treatment of Bali victims.

VCAT accepted their evidence it was “highly improbable” he would pursue a patient again, but said they could not rule there was “no risk” and his behaviour was “proven by the texts”.

Dr Marsh said he had been a “fool”, apologised to the “world” and his wife and accepted he caused harm to his patient.

“I’m just so ashamed of the damage I’ve caused,” he said.

This matter could return to VCAT if the regulator refers him for professional misconduct after their investigation.