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Case concluded 26 July 2023

The Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) has recently determined that a chiropractor was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct in a case where the chiropractor admitted unprofessional conduct in relation to making inappropriate comments towards a patient in breach of a number of standards within the Code.

During the treatment of a patient, the chiropractor had made a number of comments which were deemed unprofessional and unacceptable. During the hearing, the registrant acknowledged that the comments were inappropriate and explained the insight he had gained through a three-day intensive course on professional boundaries he had taken following the complaint being made.

While the PCC felt the chiropractor had developed some insight into his behaviour, the committee were not convinced that they fully understood the underlying purpose of setting and maintaining boundaries, which focus on the interests of the patient. The committee were also not convinced that the learning from the boundaries course was fully embedded in the chiropractor’s practice in that a supportive statement from a different patient referred to them socialising together, and was submitted without the chiropractor making a comment as to the appropriateness of this behaviour.

The chiropractor was given a twelve-month conditions of practice order requiring them to

  • regularly meet with a mentor
  • prepare and follow a Personal Development Plan addressing the areas of their practise that were found to be lacking

They will be subject to a review hearing shortly before the expiry of the order to consider whether their practice has developed to an acceptable level.


Further details of recent decisions are published on the website along with notices of upcoming hearings.