Kinetic Healthcare director Christos Vorillas suspended for inappropriate massaging

The owner of a Sydney chiropractic clinic has been suspended from practising after a tribunal found he inappropriately massaged a patient.

Owner of chiropractor clinic Kinetic Healthcare, Christos Vorillas, is suspended from practising. Picture: Kinetic Healthcare

The owner of a Sydney chiropractic clinic has been suspended from practising as a chiropractor after a tribunal found he inappropriately massaged a client’s breast and groin last year.

Christos Vorillas, owner of chiropractic clinic Kinetic Healthcare in Narellan and Sydney CBD, was suspended for unsatisfactory professional conduct and professional misconduct by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

These proceedings were the result of a complaint bought by the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) regarding incidents at the Narellan practice between October 2019 and November 2020.

The Tribunal found Mr Vorillas failed to obtain a patient’s informed consent prior to conducting a groin massage, and rib and chest massage, and inappropriately touched a patient’s intimate areas during a treatment session.

He also failed to make and keep adequately detailed records in relation to the patient.

Mr Vorillas has not been charged over the matter.

The HCCC argued Vorillas knowingly exploited his patient’s vulnerabilities and a cancellation of his chiropractor licence was “the only way to protect the public”.

“There is no obvious explanation as to how or why a practitioner of Dr Vorillas’ experience has engaged in such careless conduct,” the Commission said in its submission.

The HCCC further submitted that the Tribunal could not be satisfied “that touching may not occur again”.

The tribunal noted that Vorillas’ actions were a serious and reckless breach but were not for his “sexual gratification”. The conduct was still however considered “sexual in nature” due to the sensitive areas being massaged.

Vorillas’ legal representative requested the tribunal consider a reprimand and practising conditions including additional training, in consideration of Vorillas’ “otherwise unblemished career” over the last 15 years.

The tribunal stated a reprimand would be “insufficient” and suspended Vorillas’ licence for six months. They also ordered him to complete a course on professional ethics and boundaries within that time frame.