Gold Coast chiropractor Adrian Adams pleads guilty to treating patients while suspended by AHPRA

A Gold Coast chiropractor suspended after complaints from staff and patients – and failing to be breathalysed at work as required – continued practising even while trying to have the ban lifted.

Chiropractor Adrian Adams leaving the courthouse after pleading guilty to treating 60 patients while his registration was suspended. Picture: Jessica Paul

A Gold Coast chiropractor deliberately flouted his registration suspension to continue treating dozens of unsuspecting patients at his clinics.

Chiro + Co owner Adrian Charles Adams was suspended from practising on December 14, 2021. He was notified that same day.

Southport Magistrates Court was told the immediate suspension was enforced after complaints from both his staff and patients about Adams’ conduct and his failure to comply with an earlier condition that he be breathalysed at work.

An undeterred Adams went on to treat 60 patients – some several times – in about four-and-a-half months, split between December, 2021 to March, 2022 and December, 2023 to February.

Prosecutor Shelley Francis said the chiropractor’s second spate of offending came after he returned from overseas and admitted to still practising while suspended, soon beginning discussions with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) about having his suspension lifted.

He was soon issued with a cease and desist letter and remains suspended indefinitely.

Ms Francis described Adams’ case as a “particularly serious example”, saying he also tried to conceal his conduct by processing patients’ private health insurance claims under different registration details.

The court was told the chiropractor had no criminal history and several glowing character references.

Defence barrister Matthew Hynes, instructed by Rawlings McShane Lawyers, said his client first turned to alcohol to “numb the pain” as his son – born prematurely at 24 weeks – struggled for survival in hospital at the height of Covid.

Mr Hynes said Adams completed a three-week detox clinic to kickstart his recovery, but was soon knocked down again by a diagnosis of thyroid cancer and increasing financial strain.

“These are aberrations committed in a time of extreme stress and against a background of tragedy,” he said.

“(His conduct was done) knowingly, it was repeated, it was quite frankly stupid and it was never going to work.”

The court was told Adams – who was also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder – had since pursued new ventures overseas and obtained his real estate practising certificate, and was attending ongoing counselling to aid in his sobriety.

Magistrate Nerida Wilson said while she accepted Adams and his family had faced a harrowing experience, continuing to treat patients while suspended was “completely unacceptable” and that his second spree showed an “almost incorrigible” refusal to stop.

Adams pleaded guilty to nine counts of claiming to be registered under Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Queensland).

He was fined $15,000 and ordered to pay a further $2000 in costs to AHPRA.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Gold Coast chiropractor Adrian Adams pleads guilty to treating patients while suspended by AHPRA