
A bitter pill
Patients who lost money by investing in their doctor’s financial scheme will not get justice from the health professions council; at this stage at least, the case is beyond its jurisdiction
Suppose a doctor were to give financial advice to patients, suggesting that they invest in his company at a time when secretly he knew it was in a parlous state. Would this be an infringement of the discipline of the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA)? A recent case suggests not.
Dr David Grieve, whose “investment advice” to many patients caused them significant losses, has just won a case testing whether he can be disciplined by the HPCSA. He was to face allegations of unprofessional conduct in that he “brought the good name of his profession into disrepute” by persuading patients or former patients “to invest in a company in which he was a director whilst he knew … the company was in financial distress”.