Psychologist fights fine for divulging report
AN EAST London psychologist is fighting a preliminary inquiry fine of R15 000 for “unprofessional conduct” after it was claimed that the psychologist leaked the medical report of a patient to a local school.
This was after a distraught mother reported the health professional to the Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as she believed the leaked report almost prevented the now six-year-old from being promoted to the next grade.
The matter was heard last year at a preliminary inquiry and its resolutions were communicated on January 15.
In the letter to the complainant, the council says the practitioner has to pay R15 000, “for divulging confidential information”.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch on Monday, HPCSA spokeswoman Priscilla Sekhonyana said the psychologist had a responsibility to protect a patient’s information.
“The National Health Act states that healthcare practitioners are responsible for personal information about their patients and must ensure that such information is effectively protected against improper disclosures,” said Sekhonyana.
The psychologist is to be served with a charge sheet and will attend an inquiry along with legal representation.
According to the HPCSA a complaint is first assessed by a preliminary committee of inquiry to determine if there is any misconduct. This committee makes its own resolutions, which are communicated to the complainant and the respondent. The recommended fine has not been paid.
The Daily Dispatch last year reported on the single parent, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her son, who claimed that instead of allowing him to progress in the pre-primary, the school suggested she make alternative plans.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch on last Thursday the psychologist said: “I feel it is premature for us to come to any kind of conclusion around this matter; once there is an inquiry I will go with my legal representation then.
“[In the meantime] the matter has been resolved between myself, the school and the complainant.
“We have reached an understanding that this was a huge learning curve,” the psychologist said. —