Case of the Month
The Case
The College received a complaint from a patient who was surprised to learn their physiotherapist had abruptly left the clinic when they called to book a follow-up appointment.
The patient saw the physiotherapist for an assessment. When they contacted the clinic the next week to book a follow-up appointment, the receptionist told them the physiotherapist no longer worked there.
The Standards
The Duty of Care Standard states that a physiotherapist has a duty of care to their patients, and an obligation to provide for continuity of care whenever a therapeutic relationship with a patient has been established.
When leaving a practice, the physiotherapist should ensure there is a plan in place for patients who need ongoing care.
This could mean arranging treatment with another colleague or discharging the patient with a home program.
In this case, the patient’s assessment and treatment plan showed that they would benefit from physiotherapy care. Leaving the patient without information on how to access ongoing care fails to meet the requirements of the Duty of Care Standard.
Physiotherapists leaving a job also need to make sure they follow the Privacy Commissioner’s guidelines for notifying current and past patients about access to their records.
The Outcome
The physiotherapist was required to complete a Specified Continuing Education or Remediation Program (SCERP) and review College standards and resources related to patient communication, leaving a practice, discontinuing care and collaborative care.
Record of the SCERP will be posted to the Public Register.
Learn More
Leaving a Practice Checklist
This checklist details the professional obligations you should consider before leaving a practice.
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