Mental health nurse struck off for sex

Ian Mete. Photo / Herald on Sunday

A mental health nurse who repeatedly had sex with a vulnerable patient was given a reference after leaving his job with the Auckland District Health Board (ADHB).

Ian Mete was struck off last week after a hearing of the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal ruled his relationship with the vulnerable woman was professional misconduct.

The 42-year-old was suspended from the ADHB's acute mental health unit, Te Whetu Tawera, in September 2006 and resigned three months later.

Six days later he used an ADHB reference to land a job with Waitemata DHB, working as an agency nurse before taking a position at Waitakere Hospital's mental health unit in 2007.

An ADHB spokeswoman said it had a policy of not commenting on "specific employment matters".

But she added: "If ADHB is approached for a reference it is our policy to be completely honest in terms of the information provided.

"In the situation where a staff member is dismissed for a serious matter, it is ADHB policy not to recommend the staff member in a verbal reference if and when we are approached by a potential new employer."

A spokeswoman for the Waitemata DHB said that it checked Mete's references "verbally and in writing with his previous employer and no issues were raised".

Jason Tamm, director of proceedings for the Health and Disability Commission, told the tribunal Mete's conduct "was intentional and not inadvertent carelessness. [It] constitutes malpractice, negligence and discredit to the profession."

The young woman, whose name is suppressed, was admitted to Te Whetu Tawera in June and July 2006.

She was discharged in late July but stayed in contact with Mete via text messages.

In early August she arrived at his house and slept on the sofa for three nights. On the morning of the third night they had sex for the first time. They slept together another four or five times before December 2006.

Mete told a colleague about the sexual relationship in late August 2006 but denied the allegations when confronted by the ADHB.

He was suspended and resigned on December 16, 2006.

When the Health and Disability Commissioner started investigating the allegations in February last year, Mete texted the woman for help.