A rural doctor has asked the Medical Board of Australia to relax rules which preclude medical practitioners from having relationships with former patients.

Practitioners in the bush are reportedly struggling on the relationship front, as nearly all potential partners in their rural towns are also their patients.

A doctor can potentially be struck off for having a relationship with a patient.

But according to the letter penned by an anonymous doctor, this kind of relationship-avoidance is causing endemic loneliness and putting physicians off practicing in regional communities.

Despite this, Peta Rutherford from the Rural Doctors Association says the rules are there for a reason.

“There is a power differential in the relationship with a doctor and a patient and it needs to be recognised,” says Rutherford.

“The doctor themselves needs to really think about what the situation is. Certainly, if a patient has thing like mental health issue that you’re treating them for, or if you’ve treated them for obstetrics or gynaecological conditions, it’s a no go zone.”

“If you’ve had a one-off consultation for an ingrown toenail, that might be a little different.”

Rutherford’s ultimate message was that if a doctor senses a potential relationship brewing with a patient, they should consult help.

“If any young doctor find themselves in the situation early in an interaction with someone that they thought they might want a future relationship with, the should talk to someone, get some advice.”

A rural doctor has asked the Medical Board of Australia to relax rules which preclude medical practitioners from having relationships with former patients.
Practitioners in the bush are reportedly struggling on the relationship front, as nearly all potential partners in their rural towns are also their patients.
A doctor can potentially be struck off for having a relationship with a patient.
But according to the letter penned by an anonymous doctor, this kind of relationship-avoidance is causing endemic loneliness and putting physicians off practicing in regional communities.
Despite this, Peta Rutherford from the Rural Doctors Association says the rules are there for a reason.
&ldquo;There is a power differential in the relationship with a doctor and a patient and it needs to be recognised,&rdquo; says Rutherford.
&ldquo;The doctor themselves needs to really think about what the situation is. Certainly, if a patient has thing like mental health issue that you&rsquo;re treating them for, or if you&rsquo;ve treated them for obstetrics or gynaecological conditions, it&rsquo;s a no go zone.&rdquo;
&ldquo;If you&rsquo;ve had a one-off consultation for an ingrown toenail, that might be a little different.&rdquo;
Rutherford&rsquo;s ultimate message was that if a doctor senses a potential relationship brewing with a patient, they should consult help.
&ldquo;If any young doctor find themselves in the situation early in an interaction with someone that they thought they might want a future relationship with, the should talk to someone, get some advice.&rdquo;

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