Martyn Mendelsohn, who appeared on television program RPA, fronted the NSW Medical Tribunal yesterday to answer questions over the alleged professional misconduct relating to the incident in May 2005, The Australian reports.
The 50-year-old ear, nose and throat specialist said that when his 22-year-old patient arrived at his office for a nose operation she first offered to give him oral sex. He did not try to stop her (Therefore it is consensual).
Mendelsohn said he had second thoughts about then performing the surgical procedure, but went ahead with it anyway.
"It was a decision I made that I regret," he was quoted in The Australian as saying.
"Knowing her nose better than anyone else, I was in a unique position to take care of the problem."
After the operation, Mendelsohn said he told the woman he would no longer be able to treat her.
She is understood to have gone home and asked her boyfriend to drive her to a police station to press sexual assault charges against Mendelsohn.
The charges were later dropped by the NSW Director of Public Prosecution because there was little chance of conviction.
Mendelsohn said he was depressed and having trouble sleeping at the time of the incident. His wife had also been ill.
He said he was "flattered" when his patient made sexual advances at him, which he "welcomed" against better judgement.
Mendelsohn said the woman was upset when he told her he couldn't be her doctor anymore.
"You promised me, you can't leave me," she said at the time, Mendelsohn told the tribunal. "She said I owed her to look after her."
Mendelsohn has been permitted to continue practising since the incident under the full-time supervision of a nurse.
The hearing continues.
ninemsn 26 Aug 2008
What is most disturbing about this story, irrespective of the code of ethics, and professional conduct, is that the complainant INITIATED, sexual advances, and as a result both adults had consensual sex. She then proceeded to the police to make false statements of sexual assault.
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