Oral surgeon Dr Peter Liston to appeal professional misconduct penalty

Cancer patient Keith Hindson was affected by delays in the diagnosis of his lesion, caused by Dr Peter Liston's failings. Photo / Stuart Munro

An oral surgeon who has a clinic at Whanganui Hospital is appealing his penalty for professional misconduct.

Dr Peter Liston, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who works in Whanganui and Taranaki, admitted professional misconduct at a hearing of the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal in December 2017.

The charges arose from the care of Whanganui man Keith Hindson, who developed invasive tongue cancer after delays in diagnosis of a lesion and referral for specialist treatment, because biopsy results were misread.

As well as admitting three charges of failure to recommend and/or provide appropriate treatment, Liston also admitted failing to obtain his patient's informed consent to treatment and failing to keep clear and/or detailed and/or accurate notes of his consultations with Hindson.

The tribunal ordered that a censure be placed on Liston's record for as long as he is alive.

It imposed a fine of $5000 and ordered Liston to make a contribution of $21,000 (30 per cent) toward the hearing costs.

It also made "strong recommendations" to the Whanganui District Health Board about clinical audit and review processes and non-patient contact time for Liston's clinic at Whanganui Hospital.

Hindson told the Wanganui Chronicle he had been advised the appeal was scheduled to be heard in the High Court in Wellington on July 30.