A PYSCHOLOGIST working at a North East trust was let off with a caution after she made an 'artistic video' with a patient, where they were both dressed in 'Victorian lingerie'.

A virtual hearing was held for a practitioner psychologist working at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS trust after she was accused of breaching professional boundaries by engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a patient - known as patient A.

Dr Annemarie Dalhuijsen-Bendijk sent text messages and emails to the patient, met her at the Baltic Art Gallery in Newcastle and went for lunch with the patient.

On February 19, 2016, a complaint was made by a friend of one of Dr Dalhuijsen-Bendijk's former patients (Patient A) to North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust.

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The complaint concerned their relationship. It was alleged that Dr Dalhuijsen-Bendijk and Patient A had developed a personal relationship outside of their therapy sessions and recorded an artistic film together, a project which lasted over a year. It was alleged that this had caused emotional disturbance to Patient A.

Other allegations included sending a text to the patient stating: 'Hope you have a late summertime in the south xx and I'm still very much like to help with your film with the sequence and the words and I will find a day to do more pictures as I promised xx'.

The psychologist also filmed a video where it appeared she was on a bed in a 'state of undress' with the patient.

Dr Dalhuijsen-Bendijk maintained that Patient A and herself were wearing Victorian lingerie as costumes and were not in a state of undress.

The report stated: "Having viewed the footage, the panel found that when they were both dressed in Victorian lingerie, this was in keeping with the artistic project they were embarking upon. However, towards the end of the video it briefly depicts both [Dr Dalhuijsen-Bendijk] and Patient A on a bed in a state of undress, in that they were both only partially clothed."

The tribunal allegations also included that Dr Dalhuijsen-Bendijk groped and/or stroked the patient

The panel viewed a video which showed Dr Dalhuijsen-Bendijk stroking Patient A’s hair with her hand and twice stroking the top of Patient A’s legs with a feather.

There was no evidence that Dr Dalhuijsen-Bendijk groped the patient.

Dr Dalhuijsen-Bendijk further explained that Patient A had holes in her stockings to which she was referring.

The panel accepted Dr Dalhuijsen-Bendijk's account that she was referring to Patient A’s stockings and considered that both she and Patient A appeared to realise the innuendo after the comment was made.

Dr Dalhuijsen-Bendijk also said: “Of course there’s a connection, that’s what it is, isn’t it? There’s something there.

“This is the most beautiful thing I’ve seen so far – you falling out of your outfit” or words to that effect.

The panel has viewed the video in which Dr Dalhuijsen-Bendijk can be heard saying to Patient A “you’re falling out of your outfit” not “you falling out of your outfit”.

The report said: "From the footage, it is clear that the Registrant’s comment “This is the most beautiful thing I have seen so far” is made in relation to her sleeve, which she is holding up and that the two comments in particular are not linked."

Another text was sent to Patient A stating 'haha ...your way! I chickened out of treating the ultimate artist as a psychologists.... No f*****g chance (hysterical face emoji)'.

Dr Dalhuijsen-Bendijk also visited Patient A at her parents house and destroyed some clinical records relating to Patient A.

The panel found that the patient had requested her records to be destroyed and that it was in the patient's best interests to destroy them.

Overall, the panel ruled that while her behaviour was inappropriate it was not sexually motivated - and she was hit with just a caution.

The report of the hearing, said: "Actions she [Dr Dalhuijsen-Bendijk] admitted were inappropriate but denied that they were sexually motivated.

"The Registrant accepted that the factual particulars, as admitted, amounted to misconduct. She submitted that her fitness to practise was impaired by misconduct on public grounds alone."

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