Surgeon fined after sharing photos of patient’s swastika penis tattoo
In a breach of patient privacy, a surgeon in Australia was fined for sharing photos of a patient’s swastika tattoo on his penis.
According to the NZ Herald, authorities fined the surgeon AU$10,000 (S$8,300) for sharing the photo in a WhatsApp group.
Photo taken while patient was comatose
The photo was taken in April 2019 when the doctor was treating the patient for a severe injury.
The man ended up in the hospital after a pipe bomb exploded in his hands.
During his stay in the intensive care unit, the surgeon spotted the swastika tattoo on the comatose man’s penis.
This prompted the surgeon to photograph it and then share it to a WhatsApp group.
Source: Gumpanat Thavankitdumrong on Canva. Image is for illustration purposes only.
Soon after, someone alerted the Office of the Health Ombudsman, which oversees complaints about medical professionals in Australia.
An investigation commenced into the incident.
Fined and reprimanded for breach of privacy
According to The Australian, the surgeon claimed he had been a victim of racism throughout his life.
The prejudice he experienced even caused the surgeon to formally change his name.
A tribunal member overseeing his case said seeing the symbol — which was appropriated by the German Nazi party and still associated with white supremacy — caused “feelings of shock and offence” for the surgeon.
However, the tribunal found the misconduct to be serious.
“The patient was unconscious and particularly vulnerable,” a tribunal member said.
He also added that it constitutes a severe breach in trust patients have for doctors.
Apart from the fine, the surgeon faced criminal proceedings, but was able to settle the matter out of court.
The surgeon resigned from his position at the hospital after the complaint was made and returned to private practise.
Also read: Caregiver apologises for livestreaming medical procedures on TikTok, patient accepts apology: Agency
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Featured image adapted from Gumpanat Thavankitdumrong on Canva. Image is for illustration purposes only.
