• - Nelson Marlborough mental health worker accused of paying patient for sex.
• - She is a sex worker and spent five weeks in a secure unit where the man worked.
• - “Full investigation” complete but patient and Herald refused any details.
• - Accused speaks, begs for privacy.
• - NZ Prostitutes Collective say the case is “shocking” and “unacceptable.

The man's earliest messages about booking the patient for sex. He had already tried to call her. The patient included screenshots of the messages in her complaint.

A mental health worker has been investigated after a patient complained he paid her for sex and mistreated her shortly after she was discharged from a secure unit where he worked.

The worker is no longer employed by Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand.

Both he and Te Whatu Ora are refusing to speak about the details of the “full investigation” into his alleged actions - and the outcome.

But the man has confirmed he no longer works for the agency and that the situation has had a “grave effect” on his family.

He refused to answer any specific questions about the allegations.

“We have discussed it as a family and this opened the wounds causing more harm - mentally to some family members,” he said.

“I have already put them through enough. I wouldn’t wish what we as a family are going through on my worst enemies.”

The patient is now considering her next steps - including complaints to the Human Rights and Health and Disability Commissioners.

“It’s like it’s been swept under the rug … I would like them to tell me exactly what they’ve done … It’s ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. It’s almost like they’re judging me, leaving me in the dark,” she said.

“It feels like no one’s done anything about it … it’s almost like he’s getting special treatment.”

The complaint

In January this year, the patient emailed a lengthy complaint to Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough about the man working in a mental health team.

She said she spent five weeks in a mental health unit in 2023.

She has an ongoing battle with bipolar disorder and drug addiction.

The man sent many messages to the patient trying to book sex. This conversation was at 6.27am.

During her time in the ward, the man “took a genuine interest” in helping her.

“I was discharged on a Friday and began sex work on the Saturday. Then a week later I get a private number call and it was (the worker) wanting a booking to have sex with me.”

She told the Herald she agreed to the booking and had sex with him on two occasions.

When he asked for a third booking, she told him she was not in a good place with her mental health and addiction.

She asked if they could meet “just as people” and talk. Given the man knew her background she hoped he would be able to help her.

Text messages included with her complaint and provided to the Herald show the patient asking for “a chat” with the man - “not a booking”.

“I would have rather had a booking but only have $75 ... I’ll just have to wait … maybe I just look up your (web)site for relief LOL,” he replied.

He went on to say: “I can’t wait to see, smell, taste & feel you”.

The woman agreed to meet for a coffee. But she said instead of helping her, the man drove her to a secluded location and touched her intimately.

“I felt really sad that the one person I thought could help had made me feel cheap and stupid,” she said.

“My mental health spiralled and I just lost my shit. I couldn’t stop crying and felt so helpless I wanted to take my own life.”

When the woman reached out to the man for help he turned her down, saying he would rather have a booking. He eventually agreed to meet to talk, but she claimed he tried to initiate sex in his car.

The patient complained to Te Whatu Ora soon after, revealing text messages the man had sent her from a work phone.

The woman then contacted the Herald, worried her allegations would be ignored due to her issues and choice of work.

Te Whatu Ora promises ‘full investigation’

On February 2, Te Whatu Ora assured it was “extremely concerned” about the complaint and “taking it very seriously”.

“Our usual complaints process is being followed and a full investigation will be undertaken,” a spokeswoman told the Herald.

In March she said “the usual complaints process is being followed and a full investigation is underway”.

“Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough is keeping in regular contact with the complainant to ensure they have support, as the process progresses,” she said.

On May 28, she confirmed the investigation “has been concluded” but “we are unable to comment further”.

The man made calls and sent texts from Te Whatu Ora work phones. The agency requested the numbers the man made contact from were not published.

The Herald pressed for more information and the spokeswoman did not respond until June 4.

“We respect the confidentiality of complaints and employment issues, and therefore cannot comment further,” she said.

By that time the Herald had submitted an Official Information Act request seeking, among other details, the final findings or conclusion of the complaint and any correspondence outlining these to the man; and any details relating to internal reviews, process changes, improvements launched or implemented by the patient’s complaint.

The request was denied.

“The information requested relates to an employment matter and, as such, Health New Zealand Nelson Marlborough withholds the requested information… to ‘protect the privacy of natural persons including that of deceased natural persons’,” said Lexie O’Shea, the group operations director for Nelson Marlborough hospital special services.

“The need to withhold this information is not outweighed by a public interest in release.”

Health agency stonewalls

The Herald sought a further response to questions directly relating to the patient’s concerns and frustrations about the investigation.

O’Shea still refused to comment.

“Health New Zealand Nelson Marlborough takes patient safety and wellbeing extremely seriously,” she said, again refusing to comment further and citing “confidentiality of complaints and employment issues”.

The Herald put specific questions to the man about his relationship with the patient and his behaviour.

He said there was “much missing from the story” but he did not want “to get into a drawn-out debate” over his actions.

“We feel it is in the best interests of our family not to respond,” he said.

“I am sorry but there are two sides of the story and only one has been shared. The other version is different and has and will only be shared to family and close trusted friends.

“As aforementioned I no longer work for Te Whatu Ora and this also has had a huge financial effect on our daily living.”

The man told the woman on multiple occasions he did not have enough money for a full hour with her. He claimed he sold a guitar to pay for a session before Christmas in 2023. Photo / File

‘Absolutely shocking’: Sex worker advocate calls for action

The patient was “very angry” at the man and Te Whatu Ora.

Despite their promise, she said she had not heard from Te Whatu Ora for “months”.

“They didn’t call me, they won’t tell me anything,” she said.

She has multiple email addresses and phone numbers due to her work - but says there has been nothing by way of any update through any means.

She is considering a number of further avenues of complaint.

“I shouldn’t have to do that - I shouldn’t have to do all the f***ing work just to try and get my answers,” she said.

“They should be man enough to admit what happened, and help me to get better and just move on.

“I feel like they’re just trying to hide and make themselves look good, and it’s not doing anyone any favours.”

Cherida Fraser from the NZ Prostitutes Collective. Photo / Hazel Osborne

The NZ Prostitutes Collective has offered to support the woman if she decides to take further action.

Spokeswoman Cherida Fraser said the man’s alleged behaviour was “grossly inappropriate” and in her opinion, a blatant case of sexual harassment.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s sex for sale or not - it’s just inappropriate anyone would contact a person for sex in a patient/worker relationship,” she said.

“This absolutely was not acceptable in a professional working relationship… This is sexual harassment, in my opinion, because she was a patient, and a vulnerable patient due to her mental health.

“The power dynamic makes it absolutely shocking.”

Fraser said it did not matter whether the patient accepted the booking or not. The fact the man asked her in the first place was “unacceptable”.

“There are no ‘two sides’ here - because as a health professional, he would have been held to a code of conduct and he should have behaved accordingly. And I am sure the code of conduct says you can’t book sex with a patient,” she said.

“Even though she is a sex worker, there are things that are appropriate and things that aren’t. This was not appropriate.”

All health support workers in New Zealand are bound by a code of conduct and behaviour.

The Herald understands support worker contracts also state they cannot have any inappropriate relationships with patients.

Fraser commended the patient for making the complaint, noting many sex workers never speak up because of the stigma around their occupation.

“That must have been really distressing for her,” she said.

“It’s very disappointing she didn’t get any outcome of the investigation - she can’t get justice until she knows what the outcome is.

“It’s really shocking that this happened to her and now she’s in the dark about whether he’s been reprimanded, or held accountable.”

Fraser said there were other options the patient could look at in terms of further complaints. The NZPC would be happy to support and or advise her.

“There is still help for her if she wants it,” she assured.

“If any sex worker is in a similar situation, we can support them to make a complaint.”

The woman enjoys her job and feels no shame around her choices. But she feels sick about the man, feeling that she was taken advantage of. Photo / 123RF

The woman was buoyed by the offer of support. She has had a hard few months and is desperate to get well.

She said her experience with the man had deeply impacted her and since making the complaint she has been to hospital a number of times seeking urgent help for drug relapses and her mental health.

Each time she goes she is nervous to step inside in case staff are aware of her complaint and judge her.

“I’ve got massive, massive mental health problems and I would like them to, like, help me get better so that I can recover,” she said.

“But I feel like I’ve been turned away … no one actually helps me. And then I wonder why they’re doing that.

“Maybe it’s because of that (complaint) - maybe it’s because they hate me? There’s something wrong with me, and there’s no one helping me and that’s the only thing I can put it down to.

“I would like them to help me get better so that I can recover.”

A list of specific questions about the patient’s comments were among the things Te Whatu Ora refused to respond to.

Anna Leask is a Christchurch-based reporter who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 18 years with a particular focus on family violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz

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