‘Fake’ doctor kicked off 11-year run as impostor at Central Coast hospitals

A MAN who allegedly stole an Indian doctor’s identity and falsely practised medicine at four NSW hospitals kicked off his 11-year run as an impostor on the Central Coast in 2003.

“Do you concur?” ... Leonardo DiCaprio plays a fake doctor in 2002 movie Catch Me If You Can.

A MAN who allegedly stole an Indian doctor’s identity and falsely practised medicine at four NSW hospitals kicked off his 11-year run as an impostor on the Central Coast.

Shyam Acharya — whose whereabouts are unknown after being charged by health authorities — started work at Gosford Hospital on February 8, 2003, after he allegedly stole medical qualifications while living in India and used these and other fraudulent documents to falsely gain registration with the Medical Board of NSW.

In what’s been described as a “shoddy Down Under version of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Catch Me If You Can”, he stayed at Gosford Hospital until June 6, 2004, before working at both Gosford and Wyong hospitals from the next day until October 17 the same year.

A ‘fake’ doctor allegedly started working in Australia at Gosford Hospital in 2003.

According to Northern Sydney Area Health, Mr Acharya — who it’s believed assumed the identity of “Sarang Chitale” — then had further separate stints at Wyong Hospital (October 18, 2004- January 16, 2005) and Gosford Hospital (January 17, 2005- April 24, 2006).

Central Coast Local Health District chief executive Dr Andrew Montague defended the department’s recruitment procedures.

“The district followed the required process during recruitment including medical registration and identity checks,” Dr Montague said.

Mr Acharya went on to work as a junior doctor at Hornsby and Manly hospitals until May 31, 2014, and was also granted Australian citizenship — all in the name of the other doctor. He only had one complaint made against him.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency advised NSW Health in November last year that it was investigating Mr Acharya for falsely holding himself out as a registered medical practitioner and he now faces a fine of up to $30,000.

Shocked Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the matter would be elevated nationally at the next meeting of heads of government.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says she was shocked by the fake doctor allegations. Picture: Toby Zerna

“The Health Minister (Brad Hazzard) will be raising this issue at COAG,” she said. “It’s just simply shocking to know that he got through our border protection system on someone else’s documents, pretending to be something he (wasn’t) and of course we empathise with all those patients who were under his care.

“I can imagine what a lot of people in the community are thinking — how could this happen for such a long period of time?”

Opposition health spokesman Walt Secord has demanded the government reveal the full extent of Mr Acharya’s activity.

Opposition health spokesman Walt Secord, pictured at Gosford Hospital last week with Labor candidate for Gosford by-election Liesl Tesch, has likened the alleged fake doctor affair to the movie Catch Me If You Can. Picture: Sue Graham

“It is incredible that this man could practice for 11 years and come into contact with hundreds of patients and go unnoticed,” he said.

“If this matter wasn’t so shocking, the details would read like a shoddy Down Under version of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Catch Me If You Can.”

Anyone with concerns can contact Central Coast Local Health District on 4320 3920 or email [e-mail]