Background Ms Trakosas, a highly trained registered nurse, held the view that the Covid-19 vaccination programme was not evidence based and was dangerous to public health and safety. She refused to be vaccinated, and was subsequently stood down from her hospital role....
Morgan Barnsby
Tribunal reprimands practitioner for breaches of Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation
Legislative Context VAD legislation has been enacted in all Australian States[1] and has been prefaced on stringent preconditions related to eligibility and access. Pursuant to section 35 of the Act, a patient who is ordinarily a resident in Victoria may make a...
Your colleague makes an Ahpra complaint about you. Is there anything you can do?
A recent decision in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (the Tribunal) indicates that ‘bad faith’ complaints with false and misleading information may amount to professional misconduct. Background The Health Ombudsman (the Applicant) alleged that Dr Ling...
Recent commentary on section 5PB of the Civil Liability Act
Legislative Context - Section 5PB An act or omission of a health professional will not be negligent, if it is established that the act or omission was in accordance with a practice that, at the time, was widely accepted by their peers as competent professional...
Confidentiality Breach leads to Cancellation of Registration
Background Patient A, an infant, was born with both male and female genitalia and was admitted to the NICU at the Hospital in which the Practitioner was employed full-time. The Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) alleged that between 23 and 28 June 2020, the...
Cruise ship doctor’s negligent advice leads to psychological harm
Background As a result of a genetic abnormality, Ms Waine suffered a miscarriage in April 2017. Later that year, she became pregnant again but terminated the pregnancy in October 2017 due to the presence of the same genetic abnormality. To bring some joy back to her...
Podiatrist suspended for failure to maintain professional indemnity insurance and making false statements to Ahpra
Background The Podiatry Board of Australia (the Board) alleged that the podiatrist: failed to maintain any or any appropriate professional indemnity insurance (PII) between June 2016 and October 2018; made false declarations about his PII to the Board when renewing...
Registered Nurse to continue to practice despite charges related to procuring false medical certificates
Background Ms Mizzo was charged with ten indictable offences related to procuring medical certificates for her sister and sister’s partner (known as ELD and LWY) from a former GP colleague. The GP is the subject of separate disciplinary and criminal proceedings. The...
Former Clinical and Quality Support Director of Bacchus Marsh Hospital disqualified for two years
Background The clinical care and governance failings at Bacchus Marsh Hospital (the Hospital), contributing to several perinatal stillbirths and deaths between 2013 and 2014, have been widely publicised. Former physiotherapist, Elizabeth Wilson is the latest of the...
GP who provided former Essendon sports scientist Stephen Dank with steroids and hormones permitted to apply for re-registration
The Background In late 2014, Dr Alicia Meneghetti was practising as a general practitioner and met Stephen Dank, former sports scientist for the Essendon football club. At the time of their introduction, Mr Dank had been serving a lifetime ban from sports imposed by...