Dr Peter Alexakis reprimanded for professional misconduct after inheriting $24m from deceased patient

A Strathfield GP can continue practising despite being found guilty of professional misconduct after he inherited $24m from a patient.

Dr Peter Alexakis has been reprimanded after being found guilty of professional misconduct with two patients. Picture: A Current Affair / Nine

A Sydney GP has been reprimanded for professional misconduct including failing to observe boundaries with a patient by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).

The tribunal imposed 15 restrictions on Dr Peter Alexakis’ medical license including not conducting home or nursing home visits, not seeing more than 36 patients a day and being monitored by an experienced General Practitioner approved by Medical Council of NSW.

The decision comes after the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) took action against Dr Alexakis after he inherited $24 million from an elderly patient who passed away in 2017.

The HCCC submitted to the Tribunal that Dr Alexakis failed to observe professional boundaries with a patient and other medical practitioners, kept inadequate patient records and inappropriately prescribed addictive drugs including Oxycodone, fentanyl, Diazepam and OxyContin.

The Tribunal upheld the claims but ultimately decided against suspending or cancelling the long term GP’s ability to practice due to insufficient evidence proving Dr Alexakis intentionally manipulated his elderly patient to change his will, or acted with mal-intent.

They also recognised the six and a half years of professional development he had undergone since the incident, accepting that the imposed restrictions “would adequately protect the health and safety of the public”.

The tribunal said due to Dr Alexakis’ age, a period of suspension or cancellation of his license would fail to “realistically alleviate or ameliorate” risk to the public’s health and safety. They stated that a reprimand on his record was necessary to signifying to other practitioners who “do the right thing” how seriously such misconduct is viewed by the Tribunal.

“A reprimand is not a token sanction …(it) remains on the Practitioner’s record, it is likely to become known, particularly having regard to the media interest which the Practitioner’s cases have generated, both within and beyond the medical profession,” the Tribunal stated.

In May Dr Alexakis, who wasn’t accused of any criminal wrongdoing, won a challenge in the NSW Court of Appeal which allowed him to inherit 90 per cent of the estate.