In July 2012 the neurosurgeon became close friends with a neurosurgical registrar (Dr A). Between October 2012 and February 2013 the pair consumed the drug GHB whilst socialising outside work and on weekends. The pair developed a dependency on GHB and discussed trying...
national law
Doctor suspended for forging signatures to patient consent forms
Over a period of 12 months, the practitioner caused 37 patient consent forms to be signed by a person other than that patient in respect of surgical operations, procedures or medical treatment. He then knowingly provided to the Alfred Health and/or to the Royal...
Senate Standing Committee reports on AHPRA complaints management.
Following review of numerous submissions from stakeholders and two public hearings, the Senate Standing Committee has found that AHPRA's failure to provide information and transparency in its complaints process has led to both practitioners and notifiers losing...
Abuse of Process in Disciplinary Proceedings
SAT proceedings were commenced by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) against the Practitioner in late 2014 following receipt of a notification from the patient's widow in 2012. The notification related to the performance of an angioplasty procedure for the patient...
Medical Board and AHPRA adopt all recommendations of chaperone report
The Medical Board of Australia (MBA) and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) recently released the report Independent review of the use of chaperones to protect patients in Australia and have accepted all its recommendations. The review found the...
Responsible advertising of health services
The Advertising compliance and enforcement strategy for the National Scheme explains how National Boards and AHPRA will manage advertising complaints and compliance, including the regulatory powers available to deal with breaches of the National Law. Under the...
GP Suspended for Slapping a Child’s Face during Consulation
The child and his mother had attended for an appointment so that the GP might try to help the child swallow his ADHD medication. The GP attempted to teach the child how to swallow the medication over a period of about 50 minutes. The child refused and fidgeted in his...
Surgeon reprimanded and fined for permitting doctor not registered in Australia to perform operation
In a recent decision of the Professional Standards Committee Inquiry, a colorectal surgeon, Professor Morris, was found guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct for knowingly enabling an overseas based doctor, Dr Sugarbaker, who was not registered under the...
What is the scope of cancellation of registration when a practitioner is registered in more than one health profession?
The HCCC sought deregistration of the practitioner as both a midwife and as a nurse. It argued that the findings concerning the practitioner's conduct as a midwife were equally applicable to her knowledge and skills in the practice of nursing. The Tribunal noted that...
Does a practitioner’s mental illness automatically mean impairment?
The practitioner had a long history of mental illness, with periods of hospitalisation and community treatment orders (CTO) dating back to 1998. She suffered from a serious chronic psychotic disorder characterised by paranoid delusions and disorganised behaviour. As a...