Anne O’Sullivan

The West Australian (Perth)
Perth psychiatrist banned for 18 months after patient turned friend tattooed tribute on their arm
By Tim Clarke
April 30, 2024

— Excerpt

A leading psychiatrist has been banned from practice for 18 months after becoming so entangled with a patient that the vulnerable woman referred to her as Mum – and had a tribute to her tattooed on her arm.

Anne O’Sullivan was a psychiatric spokesperson for the WA branch of the Australian Medical Association while working as the clinical leader for the emergency psychiatry team at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

She also achieved a fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and advocated for more mental health resourcing in WA. However, legal documents have now revealed that Dr O’Sullivan has been suspended since late 2022, after the extraordinary relationship with a suicidal patient she met at the hospital emerged…