Tariana Turia

Wellington, Feb 11 NZPA - Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia, who has had her stomach stapled, says it was "scandalous" and "appalling" for an experienced surgeon to tell a severely obese patient she was "going on a f***ing diet".

The surgeon has been reprimanded over his foul mouth and for removing the patient from a waiting list after she complained.

In a decision issued today, Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson found the gastro-intestinal surgeon breached the patient's code of rights and showed no understanding of the vulnerability of the patient.

Neither the surgeon nor the district health board was named in the report.

The 44-year-old Maori patient saw the surgeon last April after she repeatedly failed at dieting.

When she said she preferred the word "lifestyle" to "diet" the surgeon told her she was "bullshitting" herself and was "going on a f***ing diet".

The woman was put on a list to be considered for surgery, and later removed after she complained to the commissioner, a move Mr Paterson said "appears to be retribution".

Mrs Turia told reporters today: "I thought his behaviour was scandalous because, as an obese person myself, I know how difficult it is to present yourself on such a personal issue.

"The whole way he treated that woman was appalling because she has lost confidence in her ability to ever seek help again."

Mrs Turia said the issue wasn't about diet.

"I know all about these things, having done every diet there is to do," she said.

"It is about lifestyle change, and that's what she wanted to talk about.

"I think when you've failed with diets it's really difficult to keep talking about them so she chose to use words like 'I need to make lifestyle changes'."

Mrs Turia said the surgeon had focused on diets "rather negatively".

She said her own surgeon was very good and knew exactly how to talk to patients and give them confidence.

"When I read this report it just blew me away," she said.

Mr Paterson recommended the surgeon undertake a course in communication skills and meet the woman to address her concerns.

Mrs Turia had a gastric bypass operation late last year because she was overweight and diabetic. She paid for the operation herself.