Serious ‘lapse’ in tying up child
A GOLD Coast paediatrician who hogtied a hyperactive child patient during a consultation has been reprimanded by a tribunal for unprofessional conduct.
Dr Neville Davis admitted to a disciplinary tribunal that it was inappropriate for him to have tied the seven-year-old boy’s hands and feet together behind his back in 2012.
Dr Davis twice tied the boy with rope and squatted over the boy, who was lying on his stomach, so he could not move, a tribunal heard.
The paediatrician of 26 years claimed he had been trying to distract the restless, hyperactive child so that he could discuss his case with the boy’s mother without interruption.
Dr Davis was charged with a number of offences arising out of the consultation with the boy, who had Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and other complex problems.
The charges relating to the tying up of the boy were not proceeded with and Dr Davis was acquitted of the remaining charge relating to the squatting over the boy.
Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal heard that after being tied to a chair, the boy was able to extricate himself after a minute.
After being “hogtied”, the boy freed himself after a minute or two, and after he punched his mother in the arm, Dr Davis demonstrated the squatting technique for controlling him.
Dr Davis accepted his behaviour in tying up the boy was “an aberrant lapse of judgment’’.
The Medical Board of Australia said Dr Davis showed poor judgment.
A child protection paediatrician gave evidence that there were no circumstances in which it would be appropriate for a doctor to tie up a child.
The tribunal was particularly concerned about Dr Davis’s actions given his lengthy history as a paediatrician specialising in children with learning, social and emotional problems.
“Dr Davis could have sought to remove (the child) from the consultation and if he could not do so, could have rescheduled the consultation,’’ the tribunal said.
Dr Davis has retired from the medical profession.