NEWS-HR

Allegations a senior doctor at Waikato Hospital sexually harassed and bullied a senior female colleague have been dismissed following an independent investigation. But the doctor has been told to stop his ‘tactile approach’. Waikato Hospital launched an urgent probe into allegations of sexual harassment and bullying in its general medicine department in April 2017. The allegations followed a damning report by the Medical Council of New Zealand, with claims bullying and harassment were under-reported at the hospital. The complaint focused on allegations made by a female senior clinician against a male colleague.

A doctor who drugged patients then sexually assaulted them has had his medical licence cancelled. On Friday the New Zealand Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal stripped Dr David Lim of his licence to practice in New Zealand, censuring him and ordering him to pay $4380 in costs. Lim, 42, dosed four men with a sedative then sexually assaulted them by rubbing their genitals.

A Christchurch woman has pleaded guilty to multiple counts of fraud, after being involved in a scam that targeted elderly women who lived alone. From September 2015 to January 2016, a group of offenders obtained more than $270,000 from at least 30 victims. The women, aged between 74 and 95, were called and told there was a problem with their power or telephone account and that they owed money. The caller would say it needed to be resolved or else the victim’s power or phone would be cut off. They’d convince the women to hand over their PIN number for their bank card and someone would come and uplift their card. A female would then visit the victim’s address to collect the card.

The Dunedin health professional accused of murdering a 16-year-old girl will keep name suppression until his appeal is heard. The 30-year-old man accused of the murder of Amber-Rose Rush at her Corstorphine home had until 5pm yesterday to file the paperwork with the Court of Appeal. It has been confirmed that has been completed. The Court of Appeal will now set a date for the issue to be argued.

A Manunda woman is accused of drawing up fake medical certificates to cover sick leave. The 35-year-old was arrest and charged with fraudulently producing or using a false record on Tuesday afternoon. Concerns were identified with the documents and a report made to police. It is alleged that police investigations revealed the documents were not genuine. It will be further alleged that fake medical certificates were provided to cover sick leave absences on several occasions during 2016 and 2017. She front court on April 9.

Goulburn Options has a new chief executive officer. Rosey Panelly, who has previously managed the Seymour Medical Clinic and has a strong background in epilepsy research, took over the reins at Goulburn Options after the sudden passing of the group’s former CEO.

A handyman, who used his access to an elderly woman’s home to steal her belongings, has been jailed. Aaron James Scott Simons pinched a fridge, a television set, a pedestal fan, an electric mower, a DVD player, a portable clothes line, a kettle, four canvas prints, two heaters and a pair of binoculars – $6500 worth of goods in all – in the seven days he held a key to the home in Wollongong. The 81-year-old woman’s daughter employed Simons – a family friend – to carry out repairs and maintenance at the home after her mother, suffering from dementia, moved into a retirement home. The family paid him $3500 upfront and handed him the key on January 16. When the woman’s daughter returned to inspect the work on January 22, a long list of items was missing.

The Baptist Union Queensland – Carinity is facing a s.365 (Application to deal with contraventions involving dismissal) before Fair Work Commissioner in his Brisbane chambers (Phillips).