Patients: ‘Why weren’t we told?’
Patients at the medical practice once owned by Wellington doctor Deane Drew are questioning why women patients aren’t being advised of allegations against him.
Former and current patients have approached Stuff to ask why City Medical hasn’t alerted his former patients that four women are accusing him of professional misconduct.
Drew is being investigated by the Medical Council’s professional conduct committee (PCC) for allegations he began sexual relationships with four women patients, dating back to 1991.
He has declined to comment. The enquiry began after Clara, 64, complained Drew had pursued her for a sexual relationship while she was his patient in March 2016. She complained to the Health and Disability Commissioner in October 2016, and three more women have since come forward.
Drew is no longer associated with City Medical. Doctors Warwick Everton, Louise Boyd and Andrew Holmes have taken over the practice, which employs seven doctors. In a previous statement, they said Drew stopped practising ‘‘immediately’’ after doctors became aware of the allegations.
Yesterday, a City Medical patient – who did not want to be named for privacy reasons – said she believed the practice should be notifying all Drew’s former patients.
‘‘I think [the practice] should definitely be trying to find out if all the patients are OK.’’
The woman, now 34, said she had been Drew’s patient for seven years until 2007, during which time he prescribed her antidepressants. But after one consultation left her feeling very uncomfortable, she began asking to see another doctor.
‘‘I was a young, female patient asking to see another doctor, and they never asked me why. I guess they couldn’t because he was the practice owner, he was their boss.’’
City Medical didn’t respond to emails or phone messages yesterday. Former Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson said a practice would not necessarily alert patients during an investigation phase – unless a professional conduct committee advised it.
‘‘I think as soon as you start notifying other patients, then that is going to cause significant reputational damage to a doctor at a point where the charges are not yet proven.’’