A gynaecologist who called a patient a “pretty girl”, told her he enjoyed sex and invited her to his home for dinner has kept his job — and will instead be fined $5,000 for unprofessional conduct. The Northern Territory’s Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) handed down its findings regarding the conduct of Dr Bhupendra Khara, who has been a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist for about 38 years. The NTCAT found that in April 2016, a patient referred to as HC attended the outpatient gynaecology clinic at Royal Darwin Hospital for investigation of lower abdominal pain associated with menstrual periods. “The patient had not previously been examined by a male gynaecologist and was surprised that the gynaecologist was male,” the tribunal’s findings stated. Dr Khara performed a vaginal examination and took a swab from the patient. But after she dressed, he said to her, “you are petite and pretty”, and then, later in the conversation, said: “Yes, I do like sex, but I am not interested in any relationship”. Four days later, when the patient’s swab had not yet been analysed, he telephoned her, asking, “how is the pretty girl doing?” before inviting her to his home for dinner, the tribunal found.
