Eight clinicians involved in underdosing of chemo patients referred for investigation by national body

EIGHT clinicians involved in the underdosing of chemotherapy patients have been referred to the national regulator for investigation.

Jack Snelling (Minister for Health and Ageing, South Australia). Question Time in the Lower House, Parliament House, Adelaide. 27/10/15 Picture: Stephen Laffer

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EIGHT clinicians involved in the underdosing of chemotherapy patients have been referred to the national regulator for investigation.

Health Minister Jack Snelling told Parliament today that eight people had been referred to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

If AHPRA finds misconduct has occurred, the clinicians could face suspension or deregistration.

Mr Snelling said SA Health was also conducting a further internal investigation and disciplinary measures could apply as a result.

The Advertiserlast year revealed that 10 seriously ill cancer patients at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Flinders Medical Centre were given half the required chemotherapy dose.

At least one patient received compensation from the RAH but had to sign a confidentiality clause to receive payment.

The State Government commissioned an independent review of the serious bungle, by Professor Villis Marshall, chairman of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare.

Mr Snelling said the review found the underdosing “was caused by a series of significant clinical governance failures at the Royal Adelaide Hospital haematology unit”.

“The panel found that certain clinical staff did not comply with SA Health incident management and open disclosure policies, including not conducting timely and appropriate open disclosure with patients,” Mr Snelling told Parliament.

“Following this review’s recommendations, I can now advise the House that eight clinicians have been referred to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

“If adverse conduct is discovered, the Medical Board of Australia will consider what action is appropriate.

“A range of penalties are available to the board, including imposing conditions on a clinician’s registration to limit their practise, or taking action that could result in suspension or loss of registration.”

AHPRA investigates concerns about health practitioners on behalf of national bodies including the Medical Board of Australia.

Mr Snelling said he met last week with one of the affected patients, Andrew Knox, and promised that all 10 patients who were underdosed will now have a “care co-ordinator”.

“Patients need to feel safe when they are being treated in our health system and I am angry and frustrated by the fact that systems put in place to protect patients have not been followed,” Mr Snelling said.

Mr Knox said there was “no question” that there needed to be further investigation of the incident.

“I’m disappointed that it’s got to this but it had to happen,” he said, adding he was surprised that the number of staff referred was so high.

The Liberal Opposition has called for a parliamentary inquiry into the bungle.

Mr Snelling said he supported such an inquiry “in principle” but that the AHPRA investigation must “run its course” first.

However, Mr Knox disagreed, saying a parliamentary inquiry was needed to examine the broader “culture” which guided the handling of the bungle and to “get to the bottom of the provision of misleading information”.

“I’m certainly not convinced of the need to wait for AHPRA,” he said.

Mr Knox said the regulatory body would only investigate those medical staff referred, not other bureaucrats.

“It can’t stop the culture of misleading information continuing,” he said.

Opposition health spokesman Stephen Wade said the referral of the clinicians to AHPRA was “merely an early, next step in this deeply concerning episode”.

“The fact that the minister seems blind to a range of unresolved issues underscores the need for a broad, independent inquiry,” Mr Wade said.

“If the minister won’t establish such an inquiry, the Liberal team thinks the Parliament must.”