NEW ZEALAND HERALD: A foul-mouthed surgeon has been reprimanded for swearing at a severely obese patient and for punishing her by removing her from a waiting list.
The doctor, known as "Dr B", told his gastric bypass patient, "Ms A", that she was "going on a f****** diet" after she complained she disliked the word "diet" and preferred to talk about "lifestyle".
He had put the Maori 44-year-old on a list to be considered for surgery after a tense consultation last April at which he used forms of the F word at least three times.
In a letter written seven weeks after she complained, the surgeon offered what Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson calls a half-hearted apology - and took her off the list, asserting they no longer had a "therapeutic relationship". >>> Martin Johnston | Thursday, February 11, 2010
