After the international publicity given to “Doctor Death”, the last thing the Australian state of Queensland needs is bad publicity about bad doctors. However, the state government is investigating reports that a hospital doctor was responsible for several deaths.

After the international publicity given to “Doctor Death”, Jayant Patel, a surgeon who was jailed for seven years for manslaughter and grievous bodily harm, the last thing the Australian state of Queensland needs is bad publicity about bad doctors. 

However, the state government is investigating reports that a hospital doctor was responsible for several deaths. 

The media has focused on one event. The unnamed doctor allegedly gave a brutal assessment of an 83-year-old woman’s condition to her and her relatives. Later that evening, unasked, he turned off her oxygen. Although nurses turned it back on, she died painfully. 

Later on, another doctor reported this case and several others to the Queensland Medical Board. There was an investigation and the doctor was allowed to retain his registration, although he was not allowed to work in intensive care. A whistleblower who used to work with the Board told ABC News that it was a case of “Caesar judging Caesar”,  with two-thirds of the Board comprised of doctors. 

The scandal is now being investigated by the Crime and Misconduct Commission and a police homicide squad. ~ ABC News, July 11

Michael Cook
Creative commons
Australia
intensive care
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Queensland

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