THE "DR. DEATH" DISGRACE IN QUEENSLAND CONTINUES

Premier Peter Beattie is under mounting pressure to hold a wide-ranging inquiry into Queensland's health system. Mr Beattie was forced to act yesterday, announcing a royal commission would be held to investigate the damaging Dr Death scandal. Overseas-trained practitioner Dr Jayant Patel has been linked to more than 20 deaths after botched surgeries at the Bundaberg Base Hospital.

Mr Beattie is still to decide whether the royal commission will be limited to probing the Dr Patel allegations and Queensland's use of overseas doctors or to broaden its scope. He will spend the next week deciding who will head the royal commission before Cabinet meets to finalise terms of reference on Tuesday. But the Opposition, the Australian Medical Association and patients are calling on Mr Beattie to mount a full-scale investigation into all aspects of Queensland's ailing health system.

It comes as a public hospital doctor working as a specialist anaesthetist is being monitored closely by Queensland Health managers and doctors who are extremely concerned about his competency and high rate of complications. The case underscores concerns that problems are spread throughout the health system.

And it emerged that animals received better protection than people under a regulatory regime that is much tougher for overseas-trained veterinarians than doctors. The Australian Veterinary Boards Council confirmed comprehensive screening processes for veterinarians seeking work in Queensland includes rigorous scrutiny of qualifications by experts, written preliminary tests, English tests and a three-day clinical examination.

Dr Patel was recruited to a $200,000 role as director of surgery at Bundaberg. The Courier-Mail revealed that medical authorities had failed to properly screen the practitioner who had been found guilty of repeated gross negligence in the US. Dr Patel has fled Australia.

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ONLY ONE BRAVE NURSE SPOKE UP AS PATIENTS DIED

And the bureaucrats pressured other doctors to work unsafe hours

Another senior Queensland Health staffer from Bundaberg Base Hospital has stood aside amid anger from staff over her handling of the Dr Death scandal. It comes as new claims surfaced yesterday that patients of Dr Jayant Patel woke up to the shocking news that the overseas-trained doctor had performed different medical procedures to the ones they had consented to. The Health Rights Commission revealed the unconsented surgery was among the grievances that it had received since sending a complaints officer to Bundaberg on Monday.

Every day more former patients of Dr Patel are revealing horror stories, but most are describing him as the "ultimate conman" because his "bedside manner" was fantastic but his skills were Third World. And as the complaints continue, the commission has extended the stay of its complaints manager in Bundaberg by two days. They have received up to 75 complaints from patients about treatment.

Bundaberg Base Hospital's director of nursing Linda Mulligan, who was supposed to return from holidays this week, told staff yesterday she would be taking extended leave. Ms Mulligan has been criticised by nurses including the whistleblower nurse in charge of Bundaberg Hospital's Intensive Care Unit, Toni Hoffman, for failing to act on serious concerns over Dr Patel's conduct.

The Queensland Nurses Union has named Ms Mulligan along with the hospital's medical chief, Dr Darren Keating, and district manager, Peter Leck, in a formal written complaint to the Crime and Misconduct Commission. Both Dr Keating, who has apologised for his role, and Mr Leck, who has defended his actions, stood aside from their jobs last week. The complaint by the nurses' union to the CMC alleges they failed "to respond to the concerns raised by nursing staff".

A former Bundaberg Base Hospital anaesthetist also told yesterday of how overseas-trained doctors were threatened by Queensland Health, "an organisation that responds to criticism with savage efficiency". "Overseas trained specialists are particularly malleable as their visa depends on their job - hence management are able to manipulate and abuse them as they see fit," Dr Chris Jelliffe said. "They are paid 40 per cent less than Australian registered specialists so represent good value for money. "Over Easter 2002, I found myself the only anaesthetist available at Bundaberg Base Hospital, expected to be on call for the maternity suite, intensive care unit, wards, emergency department, as well as the operating theatres, for an eight-day stint, on call 24 hours per day. "My reasonable cancellation of some routine surgery for that period prompted a summons from the manager. "He opened the dialogue with words to the effect of 'Chris - just remind me of your visa status'. The reminder that I was happily married to an Australian changed the emphasis somewhat and the cancellations went ahead."

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For greatest efficiency, lowest cost and maximum choice, ALL hospitals and health insurance schemes should be privately owned and run -- with government-paid vouchers for the very poor and minimal regulation.

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