| 23. |
Personal relationships between doctors and patients
| 23.1 |
Any form of sexual advance to a patient with whom there exists a professional relationship is professional misconduct. Similarly, the Council will take a serious view of a doctor who uses his professional position to pursue a personal relationship of a sexual nature with his patient or the spouse of his patient. The practice of medicine often involves a close personal relationship between doctors and their patients, and patients sometimes become emotionally dependent. A doctor must be aware of such a possibility and that to take any advantage of such dependency may be an abuse of responsibility and trust. Doctors are urged to take special care and prudence in situations which could leave them open to such an allegation. |
|