A doctor who lied to a patient about test results in an attempt to get closer to her has been found to have breached the code of Health and Disability Services consumers' rights code.
A report by Health and Disability Commissioner Anthony Hill says the doctor sent about 50 text messages to the patient's personal mobile.
One of the messages claimed the 23-year-old woman's blood test results were abnormal and she should meet the doctor in town to discuss it.
The doctor then admitted that the results were normal and gave the woman earrings and a note saying he couldn't wait to see her wear them.
The report says that in other text messages he invited her on trips out of town and overseas, promising her gifts that she declined.
The doctor has been referred to the director of proceedings to decide whether further action will be taken.
Commissioner Anthony Hill told Radio New Zealand's Checkpoint programme on Wednesday the woman was the voice of reason and her doctor should have known better.
"She was saying to him, 'This is not right - you're a doctor, remember you're a doctor. This is unprofessional', and even so he persisted in the face of those messages. And it was her resilience that in fact has protected her in this case.
Mr Hill said disciplinary action against the doctor is likely.
