UNFRIENDLY FIRE HITS OZ
Doctor punished for boozy picnic with patient
A SANDY BAY GP and Calvary Hospital neurosurgery assistant will be suspended from practice after he was investigated for an “inappropriate sexual relationship” with a patient during the 1990s.
Paul Thompson fronted the Tasmanian Health Practitioners Tribunal on Thursday, with chairman Alison Clues saying she was yet to decide the length of the suspension.
The patient’s lawyer, Tom Cox, said Dr Thompson instigated a relationship with the
woman when she was a “highly vulnerable” patient in 1994, by bringing alcohol and drugs to a picnic. He compared it to another case of an inappropriate doctor-patient relationship, where the doctor was initially seen as a “white knight figure” but that circumstances “soured over time”.
He said his client has continued to experience depression since that time, which had exacerbated over time, plus other forms of “psychological harm”.
“No doctor should be in any doubt that they should not have sexual intercourse with a patient, whether or not the patient consents,” Mr Cox told the tribunal.
“It undermines the doctorpatient relationship … it’s an abuse of power.
“The consequences are infinite.”
Dr Thompson’s lawyer, Ken Read SC, said there was “no doubt” Chairman Clues would have to impose a suspension, but said it had been “a single lapse of professionalism” and an “aberration”. Mr Read read from references provided by three other doctors, which described Dr Thompson variously as a skilled and professional practitioner.
“This is not a doctor who can lightly be let go from our health system,” Mr Read had said.
“There has been a single lapse of professionalism … but throughout, Dr Thompson has maintained professional expertise and technical acumen.”
Mr Read also said Dr Thompson had demonstrated his contrition.
The tribunal hearing held on Thursday came after the Medical Board of Australia conducted a professional misconduct investigation into the doctor, who is a Churchill Avenue Medical Centre GP and a surgical assistant at the Tasmanian Spine Service.
Previously, he worked at the Magnet Court Medical Centre.
Chairman Clues reserved her decision to be delivered at a date to be determined.
THINGS have come full circle for a Tasmanian couple preparing to show guests through the same vineyard they first visited at an annual open day a decade ago.
The Southern Open Vineyards Weekend will involve more than 40 vineyards across key southern wine regions opening doors to guests from Friday to Sunday, offering an opportunity for wine lovers to meet and chat to the creators of some of the state’s best wines.
Among them will be Resolution Vineyard owners Daniel and Caroline Lamont, who have quite the story to tell about their connections to the Middleton vineyard — which were forged back in 2011.
The duo visited wineries as part of the Southern Open Vineyards Weekend in 2011, using the opportunity to also find a wedding venue.
They stopped in at Resolution Vineyard and after enjoying a glass of wine on the grounds, they knew it was where they would be married.
Mr Lamont said they built up a friendship with the owners, often helping out at harvest time, and by 2017 the duo had taken the vineyard’s reins.
Mr Lamont says the weekend is a great opportunity for Tasmanians to visit vineyards and experience what they’re all about.
“It’s not something that was ever planned, for us to own a vineyard,” he said.
“We’ve only pottered around in our own garden. We’ve never had any agriculture experience and never did any courses.
“Fortunately, it’s only small, and the previous owner gave us some hands-on experience.
“We get our wine made at Frogmore and the winemaker has been very good to us.”
Resolution Vineyard has been part of the open weekend since 2017, with Mr Lamont eager to see new and old faces come by to visit.
“At these things you just meet people and strike up a conversation — it’s surprising how many people come back the next year,” he said.
“Because we don’t have a cellar door and we don’t have big hectares of vines, people come by because they had become clients of the previous owners and got to know him, or other people have just liked the pinot.
“Then there are others who have never heard of our wine, but want to take the opportunity to see the vineyard.
“It’s such a good opportunity to support the smaller and larger vineyards, and a chance to see some that aren’t usually open to the public.”
IT’S SUCH A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THE SMALLER AND LARGER VINEYARDS, AND A CHANCE TO SEE SOME THAT AREN’T USUALLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. DANIEL LAMONT