Townsville University Hospital: Senior surgeon suspended in mystery circumstances

A senior Townsville University Hospital surgeon has been suspended in mystery circumstances amid claims of mismanagement that could potentially put patients at risk.

Townsville University Hospital. Picture: Supplied

A senior surgeon from Townsville University Hospital has been suspended in mystery circumstances amid claims of mismanagement that could potentially put patients at risk.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service confirmed on Friday that a clinician – understood to be a senior figure of a vitally important TUH department – had been stood down.

“I can confirm a clinician is currently under suspension relating to a matter that did not occur in any Townsville HHS facility,” CEO Kieran Keyes said.

“However, I am unable to comment further on confidential matters relating to individual staff.”

News Corp was contacted by a whistle-blower, a senior medical practitioner from THHS, and has subsequently spoken to three surgeons with an intimate knowledge of the allegedly deeply troubled department in question.

All four medical professionals made allegations about the suspended surgeon’s management style that have been subject to at least two independent investigations.

One of the investigations, by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, led to the department losing its training accreditation in what the whistle-blower described as a major blow to the credibility of the unit.

According to Mr Keyes, the doctor was not suspended in relation to any of the management allegations raised by the sources.

Townsville Police said the doctor had not been charged with any alleged criminal offence.

The suspended surgeon has been contacted for comment.

Mr Keyes downplayed the allegations of mismanagement raised by the sources, saying the department was not in danger of closing and continued to deliver high-quality care to the North Queensland community.

The whistle-blower alleged that the doctor’s alleged actions had forced at least one surgeon to quit in recent years and that only two local full-time surgeons remained, one of whom had also resigned as was departing next week.

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Mr Keyes said that as of the beginning of August, “there were no patients waiting longer than the clinically recommended times for … surgery across all three urgency categories” in the department.

“At this time, the department’s medical roster includes two … surgeons, one locum surgeon, four … registrars and two resident medical officers.”

Townsville Hospital and Health Service executive officer Kieran Keyes. Picture: Evan Morgan

He said recruitment was underway for additional surgical staff.

“We anticipate these staff will join the department in the coming months.”

The whistle-blower said the staff numbers situation within the unit was dire and could lead to deaths in some life-threatening situations.

“We are going to see people fall off the perch.”

The person said he was speaking out “as part of a sense of duty”.

“The community should not suffer and the community needs to be kept aware,” he said.

“I think we pay them (THHS executives) good money and they owe us an explanation.”

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Dr Jai Raman, a vastly experienced and highly respected surgeon based in Melbourne, confirmed that he had been tasked by THHS management to sort out the department’s problems at the end of 2020.

“They were at that stage facing the prospect of losing training accreditation and unfortunately all that did happen despite certain recommendations being made.”

Mr Keyes acknowledged that Dr Raman’s report had been prepared in 2021 with appropriate action taken on all recommendations and endorsed by the Townsville Hospital and Health Board.

The four medical professionals disputed Mr Keyes’ assertions.

Mr Keyes confirmed the department had been removed as an accredited training facility but was “committed to working with the college to reaccredit our facility as soon as possible.”

Originally published as Townsville University Hospital: Senior surgeon suspended in mystery circumstances