An Auckland physiotherapist who falsely claimed roadworks left her unable to access other treatment providers so she could claim ACC payments for treating close relatives has been found guilty of professional misconduct.
Suzanne Christie claimed $1082.53 from ACC for 36 physiotherapy treatments provided to two close relatives in 2022 and 2023.
She later admitted the roadworks explanation she recorded in clinical notes was false and had been included to justify the treatment as falling within exceptional circumstances.
The Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal censured Christie and ordered her to undergo 12 months of monthly professional supervision focused on ethics, honesty and professional integrity.
She was not suspended.
The tribunal found Christie had inappropriately claimed ACC payments for 30 treatments provided to one close relative between July and October 2022, and another six treatments provided to a second close relative between March and April 2023.
Physiotherapy standards say practitioners should generally avoid treating family members or others close to them unless no other appropriately qualified physiotherapist is available.
Christie falsely recorded in one relative’s notes that “extensive long-term roadworks” were blocking the family’s rural road in the direction of usual treatment providers.
In the second relative’s notes, she wrote that rural access issues were “blocking access to an appropriately qualified physiotherapist,...
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