Public Statement and Statement of Decision in relation to Mr David Kaye (aka Ali Davut Sarikaya)

10 October 2016

The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission conducted an investigation into the professional conduct of counsellor, Mr David Kaye (aka Ali Davut Sarikaya).

Mr Kaye represented himself to Client A, the Commission and others as holding university qualifications in psychology and counselling. Specifically Mr Kaye represented himself as holding a Bachelor of Arts with honours, a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology and a Graduate Diploma in Counselling Psychology. Mr Kaye also used the title doctor and the post-nominal PhD. Mr Kaye made these representations through his use of his CV, letters, reports, business cards, emails and through verbal advice to Client A and others.

Further, the evidence regarding Mr Kaye’s PhD indicates that it is in theology and not related to his practice in counselling or psychology. The evidence also showed that it was obtained from an American, online, non-accredited institution called “The American College of Metaphysical Theology” (ACMT). The ACMT website has been decommissioned but prior to this the website stated that “ACMT programs are not designed to meet any particular local, state of national licensing or credentialing laws. Mr Kaye was warned against using the title doctor and post-nominal PhD in his work as a counsellor as it is unethical and likely to mislead clients into believing he held an accredited doctorate which related to his practise as a counsellor. Despite this advice Mr Kaye continued to use the title doctor and post-nominal ‘PhD’ in his practise as a counsellor.

The Commission’s investigation found that Mr Kaye has no formal qualifications in psychology or counselling. He does not have a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology and he does not have a Graduate Diploma in Counselling Psychology. Mr Kaye has misled clients and others persistently over a number of years in to believing that he has the relevant credentials required to deliver counselling services when this was simply not the case. He has been deliberately deceptive in his conduct. 

The Commission’s investigation has found that Mr Kaye provided counselling services to Client A when he did not hold any qualifications in counselling.

On the basis of the above evidence the Commission found that Mr Kaye breached the  following clauses the Code of Conduct for Unregistered Practitioners in that he:

• Failed to provide a health service in a safe and ethical manner
• Provided counselling services to a client in circumstances where he did not hold the appropriate qualifications
• Misrepresented himself as holding university qualifications in psychology and counselling

Through his actions, Mr Kaye has deprived both client A and countless other clients over the years the opportunity to receive the care and treatment that they required from an appropriately qualified practitioner. During the Commission’s investigation Mr Kaye failed to acknowledge this, or the fact that he has no formal qualifications in Counselling. However, prior to the finalisation of the investigation Mr Kaye, in his final submissions, acknowledged that the claims he made about his qualifications were misleading to the client and the public generally. 

Further Information

Access the Commission’s Statement of Decision here

Access to the Commission's media release here

For further information, contact the Executive Officer of the Health Care Complaints Commission, on 9219 7444.