Hampshire v Health Care Complaints Commission [2021] NSWCA 283

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Hampshire v Health Care Complaints Commission [2021] NSWCA 283 Hearing dates: 22 October 2021 Date of orders: 19 November 2021 Decision date: 19 November 2021 Before: Meagher JA at [1] Gleeson JA at [2] R A Hulme J at [101] Decision: (1) Appeal dismissed. (2) Appellant to pay the respondent's costs. Catchwords: PROFESSIONS AND TRADES – medical practitioners – challenge to finding of professional misconduct – where medical practitioner sent inappropriate text messages and voice messages to patient – where breach of health practice conditions limiting intake of alcohol and prescription medication – where conduct found to be unsatisfactory professional conduct – whether such conduct of "sufficiently serious nature" to warrant suspension or cancellation of registration – whether challenge to finding raises question of law PROFESSIONS AND TRADES – medical practitioners – challenge to finding that not competent to practise – where medical practitioner admitted alcohol use disorder – where evidence that remission requires period of three years of abstinence – where medical practitioner not yet commenced period of abstinence – where alcohol dependence could grossly impair judgement and clinical ability – whether challenge to finding raises question of law PROFESSIONS AND TRADES – medical practitioners – challenge to protective orders made by Tribunal cancelling medical practitioner's registration – whether challenge involved question of law – where assertion that error of law in House v The King sense – whether Tribunal failed to consider effect of medical practitioner's alcohol dependence – whether protective orders excessive – whether Tribunal failed to provide sufficient reasons Legislation Cited: Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013 (NSW), Sch 5, cl 29 District Court Act 1973 (NSW), s 18 Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW), ss 3, 3A, 5, 139B, 139E, 144, 149A, 149B, 149C, 150, 165M Health Practitioner Regulation (Adoption of National Law) Act 2009 (NSW) Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), ss 48(1)(a)(iv), (vii), (b)(ii), (2)(f), 75A Cases Cited: Beale v Government Insurance Office of NSW (1997) 48 NSWLR 430 Chen v Health Care Complaints Commission (2017) 95 NSWLR 334; [2017] NSWCA 186 Clyne v NSW Bar Association (1960) 104 CLR 186; [1960] HCA 40 Director-General, Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care v Lambert (2009) 74 NSWLR 523; [2009] NSWCA 102 Gautam v Health Care Complaints Commission [2021] NSWCA 85 Gaynor v Burns [2016] NSWCA 44 Ghosh v Medical Council of New South Wales (2020) 102 NSWLR 303; [2020] NSWCA 122 Hampshire v Medical Council of New South Wales [2017] NSWCATOD 140 Health Care Complaints Commission v Litchfield (1997) 41 NSWLR 630 Health Care Complaints Commission v Dr Hampshire [2013] NSWCATOD 17 Health Care Complaints Commission v Do [2014] NSWCA 307 Health Care Complaints Commission v Sultan [2018] NSWCA 303 Health Care Complaints Commission v Hampshire [2020] NSWCATOD 79 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Lee v Health Care Complaints Commission [2012] NSWCA 80 Lindsay v Health Care Complaints Commission [2010] NSWCA 194 New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation v Orr (2019) 100 NSWLR 578; [2019] NSWCA 231 Sabag v Health Care Complaints Commission [2001] NSWCA 411 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; [2013] HCA 43 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Dr Robert Bernard Hampshire (Appellant) Health Care Complaints Commission (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr M Hutchings / Ms C Coventry (Appellant) Ms P Lowson (Respondent)