Patient loses court battle over ‘right’ to record psychiatrist consult
Seven expert witnesses refused to allow the former police officer to record them.
A patient who argued in court that a psychiatrist had to let him record a consultation has been rebuffed after an appeal with a Supreme Court declaring it could harm him.
Former police officer Michael Hollingsworth is suing the state of NSW over allegations of false imprisonment, assault and battery during his arrest by NSW Police in January 2018, which he claimed exacerbated his PTSD.
A psychiatrist appointed to assess Mr Hollingsworth for a medicolegal report refused to let him record video and audio of the consult.
In a letter to Mr Hollingsworth, they said paper notes were acceptable but the “presence of electronic recording devices has the potential to adversely affect the interview”.
