Dr Majid Alinia: Myhealth North Lakes GP fined, reprimanded

A Moreton Bay GP has been slammed for a “lack of caution” in prescribing opioid and benzodiazepine to a patient who was a known IV drug user.

A Moreton Bay GP has been fined and reprimanded after “inappropriately” prescribing a mentally ill patient, who would go on to die from “drug and alcohol toxicity”, multiple controlled and restricted drugs of dependency.

Dr Majid Mohammad Alinia, a former general practitioner at Wamuran Medical Centre who has worked at Myhealth North Lakes Medical Centre since July 2016, began seeing patient BN in May 2011, according to a decision published by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Intravenous drug user BN, who died on September 13, 2016, had a “complex mental health history” and was considered by Dr Alinia to suffer from “Borderline Personality Disorder, depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol abuse”, QCAT member John Robertson said in his published decision.

When Dr Alinia last saw BN on September 9, four days before her death, the woman complained of “pain” and told the doctor she had lost her scripts.

Dr Majid Mohammad Alinia, a former general practitioner at Wamuran Medical Centre who has worked at Myhealth North Lakes Medical Centre since July 2016. Picture: Facebook

Dr Alinia then prescribed her her “usual medications”: Alepam (i.e. oxazepam); Mogadon (i.e. nitrazepam); Zyprexa (olanzapine); Panadeine Forte; Targin (i.e. oxycodone and naloxone); Valium (i.e. diazepam); and Zoloft.

In doing so, Dr Alinia breached the Queensland Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996, the tribunal found, with a subsequent investigation confirming he “was not aware of the requirements under the Poisons regulations.

On September 13, BN was found deceased at her residence beside an empty four-litre cask of white wine, as well as the medications Dr Alinia had prescribed four days prior.

According to the Coroner’s report, quoted by Mr Robertson in his decision, “a fatal level of alcohol and olanzapine was detected (in BN’s system) along with numerous other drugs.” “Alcohol was at the level of 440mg/100ml, a lethal range,” the Coroner’s report said.

“Olanzapine was documented at a lethal range.

“It was the opinion of the examining pathologist that the death was caused by alcohol and olanzapine and other drugs in her system.”

According to an expert report by Associate Professor Harry Jacobs, a GP of more than 30 years, it was of “great concern” that Dr Alinia prescribed “three separate benzodiazepines without explanation for each medication or the combination”.

“I can find no evidence that Dr Alinia used suitable caution in prescribing drugs of dependence i.e. opioids and benzodiazepines,” Dr Jacobs said.

He also described Dr Alinia’s patient records as “very poorly documented”.

“It would appear... Dr Alinia does not comprehend the purpose of medical records despite the education undertaken,” Dr Jacobs said.

“I do not believe he’s acknowledged the role detailed medical records play in conforming the care provided to an individual patient.”

Dr Alinia was found to have engaged in professional misconduct, reprimanded and fined $10,000.

He will also be forced to undergo quarterly audits with a focus on “ensuring that the prescribing of controlled and restricted drugs of dependency are in compliance with statutory requirements and are otherwise appropriate”, as well as ensuring the adequacy of patient record keeping.

This condition on Dr Alinia’s registration will be in place for 12 months.

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