Duncan v Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Committee - [1986] 1 NZLR 513

Medicine, pharmacy and related professions — Medical practitioners — Medical confidence — Discussion of principle — Whether medical practitioner had breached medical confidence in telling lay persons that a licensed bus driver was unfit to drive because of a heart condition — Whether Disciplinary Committee were entitled to find the practitioner guilty of professional misconduct.

Medicine, pharmacy and related professions — Medical practitioners — Disciplinary procedure — Preliminary Proceedings Committee considered complaints received via the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee — Formulation of omnibus charge covering different kinds of alleged disgraceful conduct in a professional respect — Whether Preliminary Proceedings Committee were entitled to consider the complaints — Whether judicial review was available to test validity of the charge — Whether formulation of an omnibus charge was permissible — Judicature Amendment Act 1972, ss 3 and 4 — Medical Practitioners Act 1968, ss 42A and 56(3).