A registered psychologist repeatedly targeted with vexatious complaints from a disgruntled former employee, which prompted reports to the police, claims the health regulator’s conduct puts practitioners at risk of mental and financial harm.
Jenna Jones’ issues came after she dismissed an employee from her psychology practice who solicited patients for her tarot card reading business, misrepresented her qualifications and became aggressive at work, prompting police intervention.
She is concerned that the national healthcare regulator’s processes are plagued with delays and ineffective investigative tactics that cause severe mental distress among practitioners.
Jones terminated the employee, who she requested this masthead not name, and submitted a complaint to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, which resulted in conditions being placed on the employee’s registration.
The conditions, obtained by this masthead, show AHPRA found the woman’s practice was “unsatisfactory” and she failed to separate her “psychology practice from their non-evidence-based businesses” while dealing with a “vulnerable client base”.
The regulator also found the woman had demonstrated a “lack of respect and professionalism” during communications, and required her to undergo supervision to mitigate future risks, according to a 2023 report.
The woman then filed complaints against Jones to AHPRA that have continued for years, which she said had caused extreme distress and financial implications, including increased insurance premiums and thousands of dollars in legal fees.
“It’s been absolutely horrendous,” Jones said. “She has used the AHPRA complaints process to stalk me. I’ve told AHPRA. Police tell me they can’t do anything because it’s through AHPRA’s processes.
“I’m not going to kill myself, but it’s got to the point where I don’t know how I can participate. They don’t care if clinicians die. I feel like they’re waiting for me to die. This stuff is really poorly managed.”
One 51-page complaint includes sweeping non-medical allegations about Jones, including dozens of screenshots from her social media pages accusing Jones of “gross oversharing of personal information” and “inappropriate and sexually suggestive pictures”.
“Other pictures she presents in an almost dishevelled state,” the complaint states.
“Jenna uses her business LinkedIn and business Instagram accounts like they are dating apps. Jenna may have an impairment and should be assessed by a third party.”
The complaint refers to an article published by The Australian where Jones was interviewed about her relationship with WiseTech financier Richard White, with the complainant alleging it was “completely inappropriate and unnecessary and brought the psychology profession into disrepute”.
The document includes screenshots of abusive online comments underneath the interview as evidence the article “reinforced” negative stereotypes about the profession.
Jones provided AHPRA with evidence of the former employee’s alleged harassment, including screenshots of messages sent to her business website, calling her a “home-wrecker” and “as dodgy as they come”.
“Everyone thinks you’re a joke,” one message said.
“You’re more broken than your clients,” another said.
Jones has still been required to respond to questions about her practice, including whether disclosing personal information in a public forum “present any risks or negative impacts upon your clinical work”.
Jones also had to provide a report from her treating psychiatrist, who confirmed she is able to “work safely and competently as a psychologist”.
“I note that one of the allegations made by [the former employee] is that Jenna suffers an impairment. This is despite [the former employee] having never been involved in a clinical assessment of Jenna and having not been involved with her for three years,” her psychologist stated.
“Understandably, Jenna finds dealing with these vexatious complaints, and responding to AHPRA, very stressful, and I [am] supporting her through what is a very difficult time.”
Jones filed a report with NSW Police last September claiming her former employee was using the AHPRA complaints process to harass her, but was told nothing could be done.
“I just don’t know what to do any more,” she wrote. “I have been vomiting and crying all night from stress… I just don’t know what to do any more. I am in a very dark place from this.”
The police responded they could not take action “given that the large majority of these emails have been sent through AHPRA”, but that she should forward any further concerning emails.
Jones complained to the National Health Practitioner Ombudsman in September, which referred her back to police, while apologising for the delays and stress AHPRA’s investigation had created.
“It is acknowledged that the time taken to finalise your notification was outside of our expected timeframe,” AHPRA said.
The agency cited a “high and unexpected increase” in notifications as well as the impact of a new operating system which were now “largely resolved”.
Jones contacted AHPRA chief executive Justin Untersteiner through LinkedIn last September detailing her “great distress” after being “stalked relentlessly for three years by an ex-employee”.
“I have exhausted all available avenues for help,” she wrote. “I have done the right thing and obviously have legal advice but this is not working. AHPRA continue to send more complaints through. My insurance premium is now set to be astronomical.”
She did not receive a response.
A spokesperson for AHPRA did not answer detailed questions about Jones’ complaints, but in a statement said it has “strict and transparent policies for identifying and managing any notifications that may be vexatious”.
They said vexatious complaints were rare, with only 53 out of 13,327 notifications deemed vexatious in the past financial year, an increase from 21 the prior year.
The spokesperson said AHPRA was reviewing its notifications process, to ensure greater efficiency, transparency and procedural fairness and the average time to close a notification was the lowest recorded since the national scheme began.
Anyone needing support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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