A man who underwent a five-day medical detoxification programme said he felt pressured into selling his house to the psychiatrist who visited him after he was discharged from the hospital.
That's the findings of a report released by the Mental Health Commissioner which found the psychiatrist and a nurse breached the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights after failing to maintain professional boundaries with the patient.
After the man self-discharged himself from the hospital a nurse and psychiatrist visited him at his home to assess his mental health and risk of self-harm, Mental Health Commissioner Kevin Allan outlined in a statement.
During the house visit the psychiatrist and the man discussed the man needing to sell his house because of a relationship break- up.
The man and his ex-wife sold his house to the psychiatrist.
The nurse remained in contact with the man to organise the sale of the house.
The man said he felt "manipulated and pressured into selling his house," Mr Allan said.
He said "staff acted unprofessionally when he was in a vulnerable position".
Mr Allan went on to say: "Professional boundaries must be managed well by health professionals and that in this case, they were not".
"This case has reinforced the importance of professional boundaries in a clinician-patient relationship and demonstrated how engaging in financial transactions with a patient can compromise the therapeutic relationship," Mr Allan said.
Mr Allan recommended the psychiatrist and nurse apologise to the man and undergo training.
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