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A psychologist who sent a string of aggressive messages to a patient, including telling them anti-vaxxers should be exterminated, has been barred from applying for her registration for six months by a Queensland administrative tribunal.
Kirsten McArthur, who practiced between 2010 and 2022, began messaging a patient she had seen for almost a decade on Facebook in 2021.
“Is [redacted] your daughter-in-law [sic] now…? I didn’t know she married your son? Is she still a moronic ignorant unemployment anti-vaxxing pensioner with kids to other dudes putting you and your grandson’s life at risk?,” the comment read.
She messaged the patient multiple times between October 2021 and January the following year.
“Hey …, have ya got that retarded mother of your grand son [sic] to get vaxxed yet??? Anti vaxxers [sic] should be exterminated. This planet has no room for them,” one said.
Other messages focused on the patients’ relationships.
“I hope you have a nice xmas … Perhaps it is a good time to reflect on your life and try and understand why you had relationships with such freak nasty shows … You really need to take a more assertive role with … sorry but she is an ignorant selfish idiot… take control… stop being such a door mat … please?” McArthur wrote on December 11, 2021.
McArthur accused the patient of being a “dolebludger” and of committing fraud by receiving Centrelink payments.
“I am reporting you to Centrelink. YOU ARE A F**KING FAKE. You clearly CAN work AND DON’T and I find that repulsive. Get a life and GET A JOB AS A CLEANER LOSER and stop wasting my taxes!!! You really are a retard… I have known that since the first time I met you,” she wrote in January 2022.
“Your beloved FB was your downfall. I have recorded ALL your activity to show just what a busy bee you can actually be so you CAN clean toilets dolebludger oh well TOO LATE YOU WILL LOSE EVERYTHING,” McArthur said in a following message.
The patient provided evidence to the board that the messages only stopped after they blocked McArthur on Facebook.
Their daughter said McArthur’s actions had serious effects on the patient, including the development of acrophobia and being too scared to start treatment with a new psychologist.
The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal also found McArthur had practiced without third-party public indemnity insurance for seven months in 2020 and 2021, and lied about being insured on a renewal form she filled out in 2021.
She renewed her cover in July 2021, but lied that she had been covered for the entire previous period when she applied for a new registration in November 2021.
In the ruling the board noted McArthur was diagnosed with bipolar and had been going through serious personal issues, including losing her job and the death of her mother.
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