Health watchdogs receive hundreds of Geelong complaints

Health watchdogs received hundreds of complaints from the Geelong region in 2022-23, and a number of workers copped bans. SEE THE LIST

Former Geelong doctor Atheer Hmood.

Health watchdogs received hundreds of complaints from Geelong residents last financial year.

It comes as the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency confirmed, as of June 30, nine practitioners were suspended in Greater Geelong.

“The practitioners suspended were across the professions of medicine, nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy,” a spokesperson said.

“There were five suspensions and two cancellations of registration in the region in 2022/23.

“There were 139 notifications received about 128 distinct health practitioners in the region in 2022/23.”

They were submitted about dental and medical practitioners, nurses, occupational therapists, paramedics, pharmacists, podiatrists, psychologists and an osteopath.

When someone raises a complaint or concern with AHPRA, the agency calls it a notification.

Meanwhile, Victoria’s Health Complaints Commissioner received 227 complaints from Greater Geelong residents where address details were provided in 2022-23.

Most (116) were about prison health services, followed by hospital complaints (50).

Commissioner Adjunct Professor Bernice Redley noted about 43 per cent of complaints in the 2022-23 financial year did not have complainant address details recorded.

“Similar to previous years, we have noticed trends in complaints about several general health services which has continued in the 2022-23 reporting year,” she said.

“Complaints of concern are about the provision of cosmetic treatments, and increased concerns with counselling/psychotherapy services and massage providers.

“These are areas where we continue to exercise functions to avoid a serious risk to the life, health, safety and welfare of a person or the public.

“We can protect the public by carrying out investigations, issuing prohibition orders and warning statements.”

The commissioner urged anyone considering undertaking a cosmetic treatment to ensure they had all the information, prior to receiving treatment, and advised asking the prospective provider about their qualifications and experience, the products they used and where the procedure would be carried out, the risks and benefits involved, and whether they had insurance if something did go wrong.

The commissioner and AHPRA must share information about complaints and notifications that could be the subject of action by the other body and decide which agency is best placed to respond to a complaint.

BANNED HEALTH WORKERS

ANITA DU MAURIER

The registration of a nurse who spat at an aged care resident with dementia at a Barwon Health facility was cancelled.

Veteran nurse Anita Du Maurier was working at Blakiston Lodge, located at the McKellar Centre site in North Geelong, in 2019 when a resident spat at her.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) found she responded by spitting back at them.

The tribunal found she used vulgar language or inappropriate communication in the vicinity of staff and other residents.

Ms Du Maurier said “f***ing c***” and entered a room occupied by two residents and another enrolled nurse, and said loudly, “that little c*** spat into my face”, VCAT documents showed.

The tribunal’s decision to cancel her registration was made in January 2023.

She was disqualified from applying for registration for a period of two years.

Ms Du Maurier indicated through her counsel that she had retired and had no plans to return to nursing or to work in any related field, VCAT documents said.

She had been suspended since January 2020.

ATHEER HMOOD

A former Geelong doctor who inappropriately touched female patients “for his own sexual gratification” while claiming to perform a medical examination was banned from working as a doctor for at least eight years.

In December 2022, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal found Dr Atheer Hmood inappropriately touched five female patients when performing chest auscultations on them in a manner that involved inappropriate and unnecessary contact for a sexual purpose.

The conduct occurred on five separate occasions between 2010 and 2013.

One of the incidents occurred in February 2010 at Geelong hospital, where Dr Hmood was employed by Barwon Health.

Atheer Hmood

The tribunal found there was no clinical need for Dr Hmood to perform a chest auscultation on his patient, and that the inappropriate manner in which Dr Hmood made contact with his patient’s breast was for a sexual purpose.

The four other incidents happened at Kilmore Medical Practice.

On September 15, 2023 the tribunal ordered Dr Atheer Hmood’s registration as a health practitioner be cancelled and that he be disqualified from applying for registration for eight years.

Dr Hmood was acquitted of allegations relating to the Geelong incident by a jury in a 2015 County Court criminal trial.

Dr Hmood was also either acquitted of criminal charges relating to other allegations, or the charges were discontinued.

ERIN BUCKLAND

An ex-Geelong hospital nurse who faked medical certificates and stole drugs from work was stripped of her registration.

In 2018 and 2020 Erin Buckland pleaded guilty to a total of 13 criminal offences relating to possession of drugs of dependence, theft of medications from her employer and making false documents.

Ms Buckland also failed to inform the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia of a change to her criminal history when applying to renew her registration.

She was suspended in 2020.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal did not accept Buckland’s explanation that she accidentally took the medications home while she worked at Geelong hospital.

The tribunal found that her conduct constituted professional misconduct, and in March, 2023 ordered her registration as a nurse be cancelled.

She was disqualified from applying for registration for three years.

Barwon Health said she had ceased employment with the organisation in early 2018.

GREG JACKMAN

This year, News Corp revealed counsellor Greg Leonard Jackman groomed and had intercourse with a patient several years ago.

Mr Jackman is no longer a registered psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

Greg Jackman

He signed an undertaking not to practise as a psychologist, according to an investigation by news.com.au.

AHPRA only regulates the psychological profession, and Mr Jackman, who is also a social worker, was still operating in the Geelong region.

In August 2022, the Health Complaints Commissioner prohibited him from providing counselling or psychotherapy services, or any associated mental health services, for a minimum of nine months.

On recommencing work as a counsellor, the order stated Mr Jackman must undertake

regular supervision and debriefing, by a supervisor approved by the commissioner, for a minimum of 12 months.

An earlier interim order banned Mr Jackman from offering services or operating a business – whether paid or unpaid – to women.

ASHPREET KAUR

A former aged care worker was banned for 10 years and ordered to repay thousands of dollars stolen from elderly women to buy luxury goods.

Ashpreet Kaur leaving Geelong Magistrates Court with her lawyer.

Ashpreet Kaur, of Corio, appeared in the Geelong Magistrates Court in November and pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and 11 counts of obtaining property by deception.

She was convicted and ordered to repay more than $7000 stolen during her shopping sprees.

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission banned Kaur from being involved in the provision of any type of aged care for 10 years in August.

Kaur was employed as a personal care worker at Charles Brownlow Retirement Village in Highton, until she stopped attending work after the end of February.

GEORGIA DAGLAS

The Health Complaints Commissioner issued a prohibition order for Geelong’s Georgia Daglas, who offered teeth whitening services, in November 2022.

The order said within one month of the commissioner providing the final investigation report, she must submit a reflective practice report.

And within one month of submitting the reflective practice report, the order said Ms Daglas must, to the satisfaction of the commissioner, develop, implement and provide evidence of procedures for record-keeping, obtaining informed consent, and infection control.

The order said Ms Daglas would be subjected to it until she received notice that she has complied, to the commissioner’s satisfaction, with conditions.

Originally published as Health watchdogs receive hundreds of Geelong complaints