A doctor has been ordered to pay $35,000 after engaging in acts related to a 15-year-old that were "likely to bring discredit to the medical profession" and prescribing her contraceptives without a practising certificate.
Dr Christopher John Heron, an Auckland doctor, was charged by the Medical Council of New Zealand with engaging in acts with a teenager that were likely to bring discredit to the medical profession, for prescribing the girl with oral contraceptives "in circumstances amounting to malpractice or negligence", and for writing prescriptions without a practising certificate.
Dr Heron admitted the charges of prescribing contraceptives and writing prescriptions without a certificate but defended the charge of engaging in acts with the 15-year-old.
The New Zealand Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal accepted all three charges, calling Dr Heron's behaviour "significantly inappropriate".
He was fined $5000 and ordered to pay an additional $30,000 for Tribunal costs.
In fining and censuring Dr Heron, the Tribunal said had he been practising he would've been suspended for 12 months, but he indicated he was unlikely to practice again.
The complainant and her mother were granted permanent name suppression.
