The revelations about Queensland government medical services continue


Three stories below. See here for previous episodes


REPEATED FAILURE TO ACT AGAINST A SERIAL SEX ABUSER

The Queensland Medical Board took eight months to implement recommendations from its own advisers to ban a doctor from treating women patients alone. The board says it was unable to act sooner because state laws are too restrictive. The board's former complaints co-ordinator Victoria O'Brien submitted a report in March 2003 that detailed complaints against Dr Gregory Dominic Lasrado, father of internet porn baron Greg Lasrado. The report urged that Dr Lasrado be forced to have a chaperone present during consultations with women and said the board's complaints advisory committee agreed. The board did not impose the conditions relating to women patients until November 2003, eight months later.

Liberal health spokesman Bruce Flegg said there should have been immediate action. But board executive officer Jim O'Dempsey said the conditions were not imposed immediately because a senior officer concluded there was "insufficient evidence to meet the legal requirements". The board had to prove there was an "imminent risk" to patients, he said. "They've used a common dictionary definition of what imminent means. So the test is a very high threshold to get over," he said. Mr O'Dempsey said he was preparing a policy paper on having this section of the Act amended. "We want to lower the test in order to properly protect the public."

The board was able to impose conditions relating to women patients only after a receptionist lodged a further complaint, he said. Dr Lasrado was suspended from practice in December last year for not complying with the chaperone conditions. The NSW Medical Board confirmed Dr Lasrado faced a private hearing in the professional standards committee in 1994, just before he moved to Queensland. "That hearing did result in conditions being put on his registration," legal officer Miranda St Hill said.

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CARELESS PUBLIC HOSPITAL DOCTORS IN WORKING-CLASS AREA OPERATE ON WRONG FINGER

A simple surgical procedure to correct a crooked finger became a nightmare for an Ipswich pensioner. As more claims of botched medical procedures in Queensland hospitals emerge in the wake of the "Dr Death" scandal, Greg Turner is suing Ipswich General Hospital after doctors there operated on the wrong finger. Mr Turner was booked in for surgery on May 23, 2003, after his left middle finger was diagnosed as a "trigger" finger. Doctors mistakenly operated on his left ring finger, forcing him to undergo a second bout of surgery on the correct digit three days later.

The 56-year-old says he has permanent damage to his left hand, restricted movement, numbness and pain requiring regular doses of painkillers. He says he has trouble gripping and had a special fitting made for the steering wheel on his car so he can drive. Household tasks such as making a cup of tea or peeling potatoes are almost impossible because of the pain. "It's ruined my life," he said. "I can't go out and enjoy myself because if I bump into things with my hand I'm in agony. I sit here and I get so depressed at times I cry. I just sit there and think about it and cry because I can't do what I used to. It really gets to you."

A former boilermaker, the disability pensioner has to rely on his 16-year-old student daughter Naomi to care for him. "She's got to do just about everything for me and it's not fair on her," he said. "There's a million things you don't think of until you go to do them and you can't."

Mr Turner said staff at the Ipswich hospital had shown no sympathy. "They couldn't care less," he said.

Medical negligence lawyer lawyer Sarah Yellop, of Maurice Blackburn Cashman, has lodged a claim on Mr Turner's behalf in the Brisbane District Court seeking $170,000 in compensation. She said the operation should have been relatively simple but Mr Turner had been left with continuous pain and suffering as a result of the "carelessness of Ipswich Hospital". "You would think that hospitals would have procedures in place to ensure that operations are carried out on the correct finger before they took their patients into theatre," she said. "This error has had a terrible effect on Mr Turner's life. Doing even simple things like driving, gardening and cooking have become an ordeal because of the pain, swelling and fear of losing his grip."

A spokeswoman for Ipswich General Hospital declined to comment on Mr Turner's case while it was before the courts. But she said: "Unfortunately mistakes do happen. One mistake is one too many."


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INCOMPETENT DOCTORS COVER UP FOR ONE-ANOTHER

Queensland's Medical Board found almost two years ago that a psychiatrist should face a disciplinary hearing, but the case has still not been heard. The remarkable delay in the case provides further evidence of a sick health system in the wake of the scandal surrounding Jayant Patel, dubbed Dr Death. Documents obtained by The Sunday Mail reveal the board resolved in May 2003 to begin disciplinary proceedings against psychiatrist Alan Freed. The case was to be heard by the professional conduct review panel, but the case has been repeatedly delayed because panel members declared a conflict of interest and ill-health.

Patient Pat Gillespie, who lodged the complaint against Dr Freed 4.1 years ago, said no one could have confidence in a system that moved at such a painfully slow pace.

"I don't know what the outcome of the panel would be, but it could be disciplinary action against him and he's still treating patients during this period." said Ms Gillespie, who also blew the whistle on her pethidine-addicted husband, Dr James Samuel Manwaring, after he was jailed for an attack on her in November 2000. Dr Manwaring was able to practise in Queensland despite a shocking history pethidine addiction and blunders.

Ms Gillespie lodged complaints against practitioners, including Dr Freed, whom she believed should have acted earlier against her husband.

The medical board wrote to Ms Gillespie in July 2003, saying there were grounds for disciplinary action against Dr Freed for:

* A conflict of interest in treating both Ms Gillespie and her husband;
* Breaching doctor-patient confidentiality;
* Failing to determine and report whether James Manwaring was using testosterone.

Medical board executive officer Jim O'Dempsey wrote to Ms Gillespie again in September last year, explaining the delay. "The secretary of the panel was unable to constitute a panel at this time as all current psychiatrist members of the panel have declared a conflict of interest in this matter," he wrote.

Mr O'Dempsey wrote yet again in February to explain that there had been a further delay because a panel member was ill. Panel secretarv Nikki Burrows said she could not discuss individual cases.

The above article appeared in the Brisbane "Sunday Mail" newspaper on May 1, 2005 p. 25

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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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