MELBOURNE: There are 500 doctors, nurses and other health specialists working in Victorian hospitals and clinics with a black mark on their registration due to addictions, poor performance or conduct risking patient safety.
The group has been allowed to continue treating patients – with those suffering “health” problems having their issues hidden from the public – after medical boards imposed the safety measures through their disciplinary processes.
The extent of restricted health workers can be revealed for the first time by the Herald Sun, with details from the health watchdog showing there are 3000 across Australia working with conditions and undertakings on their registration, due to concerns about their conduct, behaviour and abilities.
With 590,000 registered health professionals working across the country, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) spokeswoman Nicole Newton said fewer than half a per cent required limitations on their registration, with doctors accounting for less than one in six.
“The boards take their job seriously and are not willing to take risks with patient safety,” Ms Newton said.
“Restrictions are designed to keep the public safe.
“If there is a serious risk to health and safety, the boards can suspend registration and stop someone working altogether while they investigate.”
But patient advocates and lawyers have accused medical boards of being too soft.
Medical Error Action Group spokeswoman Lorraine Long said patients should not have to put their lives in the hands of anyone facing issues serious enough to warrant registration conditions.
“I don’t believe they should be allowed to practise at all while they have any impairment, because they are dealing with human life”, Ms Long said.
“People go to doctors and get looked after by nurses with 100 per cent trust, and a lot of times that trust is not returned.
“If you go to a pediatrician you would want to know if they are under a condition because they are being investigated by police for child abuse, but the public are none the wiser.”
The restrictions cover 14 professions, including doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and psychologists and relate only to serious conduct and behavioural issues, not routine regulation training or qualification processes.
Read more of GRANT McARTHUR’s story in The Australian 3 November 2013 at:
Warned doctors, nurses and health workers still at work
FOUR OF VICTORIA’S WORST:
Practitioners repeatedly brought to the attention of Victorian medical boards:
DR JAMES LATHAM PETERS
JAILED for 14 years after pleading guilty to negligently infecting 55 women with hepatitis C while treating them at an abortion clinic.
DR RICHARD GEORGE YOUNG
SUSPENDED in 2008 after he paid a female patient $50 for oral sex in his consultation room in 2004. He was also suspended for 15 months in 2001 after the board found he engaged in sexual relationships with two vulnerable patients. He was reprimanded in 2006 after telling a female patient, “Holy mackerel, you’re small”, during a Pap smear test. He was granted his registration back this year.
DR MARK SCHULBERG
REGISTRATION cancelled for one year in July after he was found guilty of serious misconduct for prescribing addictive drugs to heroin-addicted patients, including more than 25,000 Xanax tablets and 9000 Valium.
DR CYNTHIA WEINSTEIN
THE high-profile cosmetic surgeon agreed to surrender her registration after continuing to treat patients during a 10-year legal battle with authorities over claims of botched facial treatments. She can still practise non-surgical cosmetic procedures.