Register puts heat on dodgy doctors: [O SA Country Edition]
Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 13 Mar 2006: 6.
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Abstract
The scheme is being set up following a series of medical scandals, including the police recommendation to charge Indian- trained surgeon Jayant Patel with at least 28 criminal counts relating to 13 deaths at Bundaberg Base Hospital in Queensland.
The Australian revealed at the weekend that Farid Zaer, who was allowed to act as a pathologist in NSW only under strict conditions after misdiagnosing 208 patients for a range of diseases, was free to practise as a GP in Queensland.
The case has led to a review of more than 7000 medical files in the New England region of NSW where Dr Zaer worked, and a further 6300 files in the Illawarra district. Federal Opposition health spokeswoman Julia Gillard described the scheme as a “long overdue and vital reform”.
Full Text
PATIENTS will soon be able to check on medical practitioners following the introduction of a national registry aimed at cracking down on dubious doctors.
The Australian Index of Medical Practitioners will record whether doctors have been disciplined by any of the state medical boards or had any restrictions placed on their practice.
Trials in Victoria, the ACT and Queensland will begin mid-year, and the system is expected to be fully on line by next year.
Under the plan, uniform registration requirements will be introduced nationwide.
The scheme is being set up following a series of medical scandals, including the police recommendation to charge Indian- trained surgeon Jayant Patel with at least 28 criminal counts relating to 13 deaths at Bundaberg Base Hospital in Queensland.
And The Australian revealed at the weekend that Farid Zaer, who was allowed to act as a pathologist in NSW only under strict conditions after misdiagnosing 208 patients for a range of diseases, was free to practise as a GP in Queensland.
The case has led to a review of more than 7000 medical files in the New England region of NSW where Dr Zaer worked, and a further 6300 files in the Illawarra district. Federal Opposition health spokeswoman Julia Gillard described the scheme as a “long overdue and vital reform”.
“One of the key features of the recent problems over the lack of quality treatments by doctors is the fact that if you move states thesystem loses appropriate track of you,” she said.
“You can get into trouble in one state and turn up in another and go on with your practice as if nothing had happened.”
A spokeswoman for Health Minister Tony Abbott said the Government had funded and fully supported the proposals.
“The new system will make it easier for doctors to practise in other states, and makes sure doctors satisfy exactly the same requirements regardless of where they practise,” she said.
“It also gives consumers, for the first time, the opportunity to look up the information on doctors for themselves.”
Australian Medical Association federal president Mukesh Haikerwal said he supported the national registry, which followed thedriving licence model.
“You can be registered in one state but your record is with you if you want to practise in another,” Dr Haikerwal said.
“This would remove some of the problems highlighted by The Australian where doctors can simply move states and continue to work.”
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