7FWF-JS44-7C7E-F264
David Griersmith
Last updated: 2026-10-18T09:45:33.330Z
- Practitioner name
- David Griersmith
- Name as recorded
- David Griersmith
- Profession
- Psychologist (Mt Eliza)
- Decision date
- 2019-01
- Offence category
- Sexual relationship with patient
- Offence
- Ms A saw him 44 times from July 2013 to April 2014 for anxiety, depression, alcohol problems and gambling addiction; his own notes called her condition 'severe and complex'. A personal and sexual relationship began before their final session and lasted until January 2015, including overseas trips; at times he held her bank cards. She later told another psychologist it was causing her distress. He also failed to seek supervision and misled medical practitioners about the relationship. No criminal charges. Multiple findings of professional misconduct.
- Outcome
- Reprimanded and disqualified for six months (until 18 June 2019), credited for 15 months already out of practice. The Psychology Board took about 18 months after being notified to suspend him (September 2017), and VCAT set a six-month disqualification, reduced for time already out of practice.
- Outcome type
- Disqualified (not permanent)
- Outcome length
- 6 months
- Category
- Not recorded
- Tribunal
- Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
- Case name
- Psychologist had sexual relationship with 'emotional and teary' client
- Citation
- [2019] VCAT 52
- Tribunal decision date
- 2019-01
- State
- VIC
- Tribunal city
- Not recorded
- National board
- Psychology Board of Australia
- Registration status
- Not recorded
- Official outcome (tribunal/board)
- Not recorded
- Source confidence
- Not recorded
- Notes
- Permanently barred: No
Decision-makers
Not recorded