Our case studies are based on real life fitness to practise concerns we have received
Type of concern: Inappropriate relationship with patient
Profession: Psychologist
Standards
When these events happened, previous versions of the standards were in place (standards of conduct, performance and ethics 2012). To avoid confusion the most recent versions are shown.
Standards of conduct, performance and ethics (1 September 2024)
- 1.8 You must consider the potential impact that the position of power and trust you hold as a health and care professional may have on individuals when in social or personal settings.
- 1.9 You must take action to set and maintain appropriate professional boundaries with service users, carers and colleagues.
- 1.10 You must use appropriate methods of communication to provide care and other services related to your practice.
- 1.11 You must ensure that existing personal relationships do not impact professional decisions.
- 1.12 You must not abuse your position as a health and care practitioner to pursue personal, sexual, emotional or financial relationships with service users, carers or colleagues.
- 6.1 You must take all reasonable steps to reduce the risk of harm to service users, carers and colleagues, as far as possible.
- 6.2 You must not do anything, or allow someone else to do anything, which could put the health or safety of a service user, carer or colleague at unacceptable risk.
- 9.1 You must make sure that your conduct justifies the public’s trust and confidence in you and your profession.
- 9.4 You must declare issues that might create conflicts of interest and make sure that they do not influence your judgement.
Case study
A psychologist’s employer raised concerns that the registrant had taken a service user on a trip involving an overnight stay in a shared hotel room, bought the service user alcohol and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol in the presence of the service user.
The registrant was present and represented at the final hearing. The Panel was in no doubt that there was an intimate relationship between the registrant and the service user. The Panel was, also, in no doubt that the boundaries of the personal and professional relationship were blurred between the registrant and service user. The Panel found that the failure of the registrant to maintain appropriate boundaries was serious and amounted to misconduct. During the registrant’s evidence, the Panel felt that the registrant still did not fully understand the extent of the risks and danger that her actions caused to the service user and the risks other members of the public were exposed to. Therefore, the registrant had not demonstrated full insight.
The Panel felt that the public, knowing the facts and findings in this case, would have great concern. Their confidence in the profession would be undermined if they did not find that the registrant’s fitness to practise was impaired. The Panel decided that the issues identified were capable of correction. There was no persistent or general failure which would prevent the registrant from doing so. Therefore, the Panel felt a conditions of practice order to be a proportionate and appropriate response to the risks identified. The Panel felt that this would provide sufficient protection to the public.
Measures we put in place to protect the public
The Conduct and Competence Committee imposed a twelve-month conditions of practice order.
- Published:
- 14/01/2019
- Resources
- Learning material
- Subcategory:
- Case study
- Profession
- Practitioner psychologists