Looking for inspiration for a blog post, I came across this article (EWN, 2016) and was deeply disturbed. The article is about a medical doctor who had raped one of his patients during a consultation. The patient came to the doctor with a medical concern and the doctor took advantage of the patient. In essence, the doctor SEXUALLY HARASSED his patient. He abused his authority as he was the “professional” which is now questionable and violated his patient.
As a health professional, it is our duty to treat our patients according to the Patient’s Right Charter and the Batho Pele principles. More importantly, patients and professionals need to be treated in a manner which both parties are equally respected and respectful to each other. The Batho Pele principles were drawn up in 1997 to put the people first, considering their needs before our own. The principles encourage the service providers such as us, the health professionals to strive for excellence and continuously improve the manner in which they deliver a service. Batho Pele is based on eight principles which include Consultation, Setting service standards, Access, Courtesy, Information, Openness and transparency, Redress and Value for money. The constitution aims to provide the patients with a transparent, accountable ethical public service that respond to the needs of the people. The Patient’s Rights Charter allows patients to participate in the decision-making process, their access to healthcare, the safe environment, to choose their respective choice of healthcare services, be treated by a named health professional, entitled to a second professional opinion and gain autonomy of their condition and the caring process.
According to the harassment Act 17, “sexual harassment” is defined as any- ( a) unwelcome sexual attention from a person who knows or ought reasonably to know that such attention is unwelcome: (b) unwelcome explicit or implicit behaviour, suggestions, messages or remarks of a sexual nature that have the effect of offending, intimidating or humiliating 40 the complainant or a related person in circumstances, which a reasonable person having regard to all the circumstances would have anticipated that the complainant or related person would be offended, humiliated or intimidated; (c) implied or expressed promise of reward for complying with a sexually oriented request; or 45 (d) implied or expressed threat of reprisal or actual reprisal for refusal to comply with a sexually oriented request (Republic of South Africa, 2011).
As a health professional, the doctor had a responsibility to respect the Batho Pele principles and the Patient Right’s Charter as well as the oath he had taken before practising as a doctor. The Hippocratic oath is taken to ensure professionals uphold specific ethical standards. This doctor did not treat his patient with respect nor did he provide her with information regarding her back pain but took advantage of her in a sexual manner. When a patient goes to the doctor they expect the doctor to know better and assess and treat them in a respectful manner. The patients do not always know best and look up to doctors as they are meant to treat, care for and protect their patients.
From the article, the patient seems rather traumatised as is unable to communicate about the incident as the doctor sexually assaulted her. The doctor made it seem as though he was assessing the innocent 26-year-old patient however he was taking advantage of her as she believed the doctor was doing his initial assessment to find the root of her back pain.
As a health professional student, a few weeks away from graduating as a professional we are expected with upholding the standards which we are sworn in by the oath. It is slightly saddening that certain health professionals do not take the oath, rules and regulations seriously and do not respect their patients enough to provide their patients with the best medical treatment instead of taking them for granted. I do however feel that the patient has used her voice and spoken up, which takes a lot of courage. She has rights and as a female she has spoken up and protected her rights as a human being.
“There’s really no such thing as the voiceless….only the deliberately silenced or the preferably unheard” – Arundathi Roy
References:
EWN, 2016. Retrieved from http://ewn.co.za/2016/09/28/CT-doctor-accused-of-raping-patient-could-face-more-charges
Republic of South Africa,. (2011). Protection from Harassment Act, 2010. (pp. 2-4). Cape Town: THE PRESIDENCY.
International Ethics Project 
Hi Amierah, thank you for your blog. I liked the way that you brought in the Bartho Pele Principles that South African professionals use to ensure quality of care to patients.
Please add to this blog how you will apply what you have read in this article to your clinical practice as a physiotherapist. This will show the reader that you have learn something from this article and how this will influence or promote your clinical practice in the future.
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Hi Amierah
It always saddens me when someone of a high power abuses it and takes advantage of others for their own benefit. I have not experienced anything like this but your blog post has helped me understand how important it is to care for patients and treat them with respect. Good use of evidence when using the Patient’s charter rights and Batho Pele principles.
What you can improve on:
– Add in what you would do if you were presented with a situation like this from a patient? What routes should you follow and what advice would you give the patient?
– I would like to see a bit more references of to support your argument
– I would also like to know how you felt about this situation
– Media of some sort that is relevant to your post is always a good way of adding emotion
Well done A
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