Dr Duncan invited to see psychiatrist

Press, 12 April 1984, Page 8

Dr Duncan invited to see psychiatrist

PA Auckland The chairman of the Medical Council, Dr Stewart Alexander, confirmed from Wellington yesterday that he had asked Dr lan Duncan, of Whangamata, to see a psychiatrist Dr Alexander said Dr John Penniket, as the medical officer of health in the area in which Dr Duncan practised, had fullfilled his obligations under the Medical Practitioners Act

In a letter to Dr Alexander, Dr Duncan said, “I note that various Western medical bodies have viewed with considerable alarm the misuse of psychiatry by the State in some Eastern bloc nations. In these nations, citizens who dissent from the views of the State may find themselves resident in a psychiatric institution against their will.”

Dr Duncan went on to ask for an assurance by the Medical Council that it fully endorsed resolutions against the misuse of psychiatry by the State or by bodies acting on behalf of the State. Dr Duncan became known

nationally when he spoke out about a Whangamata bus driver’s triple by-pass heart operation and the safety of schoolchildren carried in the bus. In a written statement yesterday Dr Duncan said. “I do not believe that I am mentally disabled. Nor do I believe that I am mentally ill. I have no intention of submitting to an assessment by any psychiatrist at all.”

He said that if Dr Penniket considered him mentally ill, he should diagnose a particular psychiatric illness.

“My actions in defence of these schoolchildren do not constitute grounds, either in part or in full, for Dr Penniket to come to the opinion that I suffer from mental disability,” he said. Dr Duncan gave the “Auckland Star” a copy of the letter written to him by Dr Alexander. In the letter, Dr Alexander outlined the complaint by Dr Penniket which said that Dr Duncan was unable to perform his professional duties properly because of mental (usability

and should be suspended from practice in case he tried to perform these medical duties. Dr Alexander said that “he (Dr Penniket) has told us that, in his opinion, Dr Duncan falls under the section (of the act) that he is unfit because of mental or physical disability to fulfill his obligations as a medical practitioner.” “Clearly we have to establish the accuracy of Dr Penniket’s diagnosis.”

Dr Alexander said he believed the council’s role was clear. Its first task was to establish the diagnosis. To this end, it had asked Dr Duncan to consult an Auckland psychiatrist.

Dr Alexander said he had told Dr Duncan he could consult a psychiatrist of his choice. He said he had chosen a psychiatrist because the complaint by Dr Penniket related to Dr Duncan's behaviour. Dr Alexander said he did not think he was doing anything unreasonable in asking Dr Duncan to consult a psychiatrist.