Social worker suspended over dodgy Covid vaccine exemption
Dr Jacquelyn Elkington's case came before the Social Workers Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal yesterday — but she did not.
Elderly pay price for Covid 'complacency'
The woman, who is listed on the University of Otago's website as a senior lecturer hauora Māori, failed to show up for the hearing and was promptly found guilty of professional misconduct after tribunal chairman Winston McCarthy found her behaviour was likely to bring discredit to the profession.
It was the first time a social worker has been taken to task over a Covid-19 issue and co-counsel for the professional conduct committee (PCC) Becca Boles said the only appropriate penalty was deregistration.
But the tribunal opted to suspend Dr Elkington for 12 months, censuring her and ordering her to pay costs of more than $13,000.
In November 2021, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government introduced legislation narrowing the grounds for a vaccine exemption.
Only a suitably qualified health practitioner could make the assessment and it had to be verified by the country's director-general of health.
A month later, Dr Elkington — who was working in Auckland at the time — issued such an exemption for a "vulnerable" client.
"She's not a medical practitioner, she's a social worker," PCC co-counsel Elena Mok said.
"Her conduct took her outside the scope of her practice."
A day later, the man used the exemption in a bid to gain entry to a recreational facility.
A staff member subsequently raised suspicions and referred the matter to the health and disability commissioner (HDC).
Ms Mok said Dr Elkington's conduct "snowballed" from that point, Dr Elkington thwarting the resulting investigations against her by repeatedly failing to provide information.
In June 2022, the woman made an online application to renew her practising certificate with the Social Workers Registration Board.
Dr Elkington falsely indicated she was not subject to any inquiry and when she was pulled up on her lie, she claimed she thought the HDC inquiry had closed.
But a couple of months later she resubmitted the online application, again declaring she was free of any scrutiny.
Dr Elkington's behaviour was "at least misleading, if not outright false", Ms Mok said.
The social worker went on to claim she felt "harassed and threatened" by the probe into her conduct, and that it was "borderline bullying".
Many requests for information — about client notes or records on how many vaccine exemptions she had issued — throughout 2024, after the file was passed on to the PCC, were met with
silence.
At other points, Dr Elkington said she could not provide the documentation as she did not have the consent of her clients.
She occasionally claimed to have already submitted the requested information and also made references to the Bill of Rights Act and various international treaties.
On one occasion Dr Elkington referred to the River of Lies documentary — which bills itself as revealing the truth behind the "New Zealand scamdemic" — produced by the controversial Billy Te Kahika.
Her lack of engagement in the process showed a disrespect for the process and an ongoing lack of remorse and insight, reinforced by her non-attendance at yesterday's hearing, the PCC argued.
"The vaccine exemption appears to have been issued because of Dr Elkington's personal beliefs about the safety of the vaccine and her views on the Covid pandemic," Ms Mok said.
"Dr Elkington's attempt to justify her approach is an example of her effectively allowing these personal beliefs to influence her social work practice unduly."
The University of Otago refused to answer questions about the woman's employment at the institution.
In 2022, Dr Elkington ran for the Whakatāne mayoralty and posted online at the time her various theories, which included that the Covid-19 vaccination caused monkeypox.
She came sixth out of seven candidates.
Dr Elkington did not respond to requests for comment.
The tribunal ordered that if the social worker returned to practice she must undertake monthly supervision for a year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
20 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Getting a medical certificate without a doctor
Employers can legally ask you for a medical certificate if you need to take sick leave - even for one day. It can be a long wait to see a GP, but there are other ways to get a sick note. Winter coughs and flu are still doing the rounds - and Covid hasn't gone away - so if you need to call in sick there are a few things to know. When do you need a medical certificate? Part time and full-time employees are entitled to 10 days sick leave for themselves or to look after someone who is sick, but in some circumstances, employers may ask for a proof. The Holidays Act states an employer may require an employee to produce proof of sickness or injury for sick leave if the sickness or injury that gave rise to the leave is for a period of three or more consecutive calendar days, and a proof of sickness or injury may include a certificate from a health practitioner. The employer could ask for proof within three consecutive calendar days, but they would have to pay the employee's expenses in obtaining the proof. E tū union national secretary Rachel Mackintosh said while it was legal for employers to ask for a sick note, they urged employers to waive the requirement. "This is the employers' right but it causes hardship to workers who either can't get a GP appointment or have to pay high consultation fees to GPs, including online doctor practices. "Employers don't have to ask for medical certificates and we would encourage them to drop the requirement unless there is some doubt in their minds about the genuineness of the illness." Paul Jarvie, manager of employment relations and safety at the Employers and Manufacturers Association, said there could be an imbalance in the medical certificate process. "One is the employment system, and the second one would be the medical system. Ideally they should work in tandem, but sometimes they appear to be working at odds with each other. The doctor can only hear the employees version of what's going on and there's no real ability for the doctor or whoever it is to contact the employer to find out their story of can the person come back to work, are there alternative duties that kind of stuff. So there's always been a bit of a disconnect." Where do you get a certificate? General practitioners The most common way to obtain a sick note is to go through a general practitioner. For enrolled patients, depending on the GP, the cost for an appointment can range from $18 to $90. However, with a GP shortage it can take weeks to get an appointment. An RNZ-Reid Research poll found about 60% of respondents were able to get a GP appointment within a week, 30% were waiting for more than two weeks with 17% waiting three or more. Telehealth services Virtual healthcare businesses and some GP services offer online medical certificates. Patients can often get an on the day video call or phone call and receive a medical certificate for three to five days. An appointment generally costs around $40 to $65. However, buyer beware: a quick search by RNZ found overseas companies marketing sick notes for New Zealanders and asking for personal information including IDs in its application process. The Ministry of Health said only health practitioners registered with a New Zealand authority can issue valid sick notes. Pharmacies Pharmacists are legally allowed to write sick notes. However, not all do. For pharmacists who confirm they are able to provide a medical certificate, an in-person consultation is required and costs between $30 to $40. It is best to call the pharmacy before your visit to confirm that they can write sick notes. Who else can issue sick notes? The Ministry of Health says a health practitioner is defined under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 as a person who is, or is deemed to be, registered with a New Zealand authority as a practitioner of a particular health profession. A list of professions regulated under the Act and their responsible authorities can be found on the ministry's website. The list contains 18 professions with a range that includes from Chinese medicine services to dietetics, nursing, osteopathy to psychotherapy. It is important to differentiate medical certificate and proof of sickness, while only medical practitioners, doctors, can write medical certificates, all health practitioners can certify proof of sickness. Can Healthline provide sick notes? Healthline is a free over-the-phone health service available 24/7 and connects the caller to nurses and paramedics. But the service does not issue medical certificates. In an email, a spokesperson said: "That's because the Healthline service involved nurses and paramedics providing triage (assessing symptoms, providing health and treatment advice, developing a plan for next steps for care), not diagnosis. "And to be able to issue a medical certificate would mean being able to verify that someone was unable to work for at least 3 days, which most of the time would require some form of medical diagnosis, which is not part of the service we offer."
NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
Middle ground needed in healthcare dispute for the sake of public
Health NZ and the Government are certainly aware of this, but reaching a solution is not as simple as agreeing to the demands of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) and the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO). Across the Government's Budget, Health NZ is competing with the funding needs of housing, education, transport and more, all amid a cost-of-living crisis for the average Kiwi. Health NZ offered nurses a 3% pay rise over 27 months, plus two lump sum payments of $325. The NZNO sought a 5% pay rise over two years, along with $2000 flat rate increases for senior positions. The union also sought to restore a tikanga Māori allowance. ASMS executive director Sarah Dalton earlier told the Herald hospital specialists sought a 12% pay rise but were being offered an increase of less than 1% per year. Health NZ has described its offers to nurses and senior medical staff as 'fair'. Dalton acknowledged at the time that 12% may not be achievable but said the dispute may not be settled without a better offer. There is room for Health NZ to manoeuvre between 1% and 12%. Dalton's acknowledgment shows that compromise, at least where ASMS is concerned, is not impossible. Health Minister Simeon Brown estimated 4300 procedures, such as hip and knee operations, were delayed because of the 24-hour strike on May 1. Wait times for elective surgeries have already ballooned since the Covid pandemic, and the wait for specialist appointments and operations has continued to grow in many regions. In February, the Herald reported all of the country's hospital emergency departments were failing to assess patients with 'imminently' or 'potentially' life-threatening conditions on time. Striking doctors and nurses have rightfully pointed out staffing issues, with Health NZ recognising another 4100 nurses were needed in the next decade, on top of 2250 nursing vacancies, despite half of nursing graduates not getting job offers from Health NZ last year. Another 3450 doctors were needed in the next decade to keep up with demand. Concessions are needed from both Health NZ and its striking staff. Sign up to the Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
1News
2 days ago
- 1News
District attempts to tackle youth vaping with a smokefree CBD
Gisborne District Council wants the city centre to be vape-free and smoke-free to curb the "epidemic" of young people taking up the habit. Tairāwhiti has the highest smoking rates in the country, and there has been a sharp increase in youth vaping. In 2018, the council adopted its smokefree outdoor areas policy, which is not legally enforceable but encourages residents to refrain from smoking in specific areas. On Thursday at its sustainable Tairāwhiti committee meeting, the council revised its policy to include electronic cigarettes and expand its smoke-free area to include the city centre. Deputy Mayor Josh Wharehinga said the inclusion of vaping "sends the right signal" to the community. ADVERTISEMENT However, some councillors questioned whether it was a matter for the council or a public health issue for the central Government to address. "It's a health problem. I worry we're dipping into things that we shouldn't be," said councillor Debbie Gregory. Councillor Rawinia Parata responded that policies like these only made kids hide their smoking. In contrast, councillor Colin Alder said central government had let them down. As an ex-smoker who battled an addiction for most of his life, Alder said he would love all the money he spent on smoking back "with interest". "The companies that have been peddling this addiction are rubbing their hands together." According to the meeting's report, Tairāwhiti continued to have the highest smoking rates in the country. ADVERTISEMENT However, data showed it was decreasing, with the rate of smoking dropping from 22% to 12% between 2018 and 2023, the report said. Action for Smokefree 2025 surveyed thousands of Year 10 students every year on smoking and vaping behaviour habits. In 2023, the National Public Health Services prepared a report for the Gisborne District Council using Ash NZ data to understand the extent of vaping in the region. At peak, a third of students regularly vaping The percentage of participating Gisborne students who regularly vape soared from 1.6% in 2015 to 36% in 2022 but had decreased to 26.6% in 2023. The number of students who had tried vaping at least once had increased from a quarter in 2015 to just over half (54.7%) in 2023. The Māori rate of regular vaping (37.0%) was significantly higher than the rate for European/other (14.4%), according to the report. ADVERTISEMENT Councillor Nick Tupara agreed it was a government responsibility and a public health issue, particularly for Māori. However, the council could not expect national change if there was no voice locally. "Looking at the data, it is epidemic, and it was during my mother's time and my grandmother's time." Councillor Teddy Thompson said New Zealand was behind the eight ball, noting that in Australia, vape flavours were limited and people could only buy vapes from pharmacies. He and Gregory asked for the cost of updating signage, while councillor Larry Foster wanted to expand the policy area to include the central business district. The policy's designated smoke-free areas are playgrounds, parks, sports grounds, beaches, and outdoor public areas around council buildings and facilities, as well as any events run or funded by the council. Strategic planning manager Charlotte Knight said that as the policy was a position statement rather than an enforceable rule, it did not require consultation. After the majority of councillors voted in favour of Foster's suggestion, Knight said the council would include the CBD, and the area would be the same as the Local Alcohol Policy definition. ADVERTISEMENT A council spokeswoman said the cost to update the policy was minimal. There might be some funding from the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to help with updating signage, she said. Mayor says community will 'self-police' Mayor Rehette Stoltz recalled how, in 2018, the council questioned how it would enforce its initial smoking policy. "The community self-police. At the end of the day, people slowly stop smoking in places that they used to, and now people just don't." Stoltz said the policy was "more a signal from the council to the community on what we value in our open spaces for our children". "Let's send that message and make it supportive. It is a health issue, there is help available, and not to shame people," she said. ADVERTISEMENT According to the council report, no council in New Zealand had a smoke-free/vape-free bylaw. The Whanganui District Council did adopt a bylaw. However, it revoked it because of enforcement issues and now used a voluntary policy, the report said. The council will update its website by September 1 to communicate the policy changes. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
