Psychologist suspended for patient affair

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The pair was drawn into personal contact after Mr X submitted a tender for renovation work at the local kindergarten of which Ms Cook was the president.

Mr X estimated he made between 100 and 200 telephone calls to Ms Cook between August and October 2009, during which time they had sex on four occasions, according to the tribunal’s recently published judgement.

“He however remained her patient and their last formal psychology session was in September 2009,” the judgement reads.

Mr X was confronted by his wife about the affair and subsequently met with Ms Cook. The pair agreed to end their illicit relationship immediately.

“At that time, X mentioned the affair to his psychiatrist, but insisted that no formal report be made. Finally, in July 2012, he gave his consent for the psychiatrist to make a notification to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency,” the judgement reads.

Ms Cook did not voluntarily advise the board of her misconduct, but made full admissions when called upon to show cause by the Psychology Board of Australia.

Although the tribunal noted Ms Cook has been a registered psychologist since 1997 with no transgressions other than the 2009 incident, it ordered she be suspended from practice for six months from July 1 this year.

“Ms Cook behaved in a way that constitutes professional misconduct ... [but] she does not represent a danger to the public in any way and ... she is most unlikely to reoffend,” the judgement reads.

“It is it noted the transgression occurred more than four years ago and that Ms Cook has remained in practice as a psychologist without further trouble.”

Ms Cook will be required to have 10 hours of peer supervision following the period of her suspension.

The tribunal noted Ms Cook has since moved to a larger psychology practice where support and supervision was readily available.

She has also been ordered to pay costs of $16,000 for the Psychology Board of Australia.

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