Mehdi Khalighimonfared in misconduct ruling over prescriptions to patients

A Sydney doctor has conceded he let his patients down after an investigation found he prescribed addictive drugs to ‘drug seeking patients’ over the course of four years.

A Sydney doctor who prescribed addictive drugs to “drug seeking patients” over the course of four years will have strict conditions on his medical registration after a probe by the state’s healthcare watchdog.

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal has found Mehdi Khalighimonfared guilty of professional misconduct following a Health Care Complaints Commission investigation into his treatment of six patients between 2016 and 2019.

Mr Khalighimonfared was found to have inappropriately prescribed Schedule 8 medicines – also known as drugs of addiction – including oxycodone and fentanyl to the patients while working at three medical practices including the Griffith Medical Centre, the Ebley Medical Centre in Bondi and the NewHealth Medical Centre in Gladesville.

The tribunal heard Mr Khalighimonfared prescribed some of the medication without taking a specific history of some of the patients use of restricted drugs, including opioids.

The tribunal found Mr Khalighimonfared should have recognised some of the patients had displayed “drug seeking” behaviour and did not consider alternative medications before issuing scripts.

Mr Khalighimonfared worked at practices including the Griffith Medical Centre.

Mr Khalighimonfared was also unaware of his requirement to obtain authority from the NSW Health to dispense the addictive drugs, including to one patient who was on a methadone program.

The tribunal heard Mr Khalighimonfared – who was registered as a medical practitioner in NSW in 2008 – was remorseful for the actions and the investigation had prompted him to improve his prescribing practices by undertaking education courses.

Mr Khalighimonfared also worked at the NewHealth Medical Centre in Gladesville.

“I did not explore all of the red flags that they had before I started them on opiates. I feel terrible about it now. I did not display adequate insight into these patients,” he said.

“It was my responsibility. They were my patients and I let them down”.

In its decision on Monday, the tribunal said Mr Khalighimonfared’s conduct “was significantly lacking” and constituted unsatisfactory professional conduct and professional misconduct.

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal handed down the decision on Monday.

“He lacked relevant knowledge and experience and acted in a manner which did not meet the best interests of his patients,” the tribunal found.

“We accept that he is genuinely remorseful for his conduct and that he has been proactive in taking steps to remedy his ‘knowledge gap’ and to improve his practice methods and standards in a general sense.”

The tribunal imposed conditions on his medical registration including a ban on possessing, supplying, administering or prescribing any drug of addiction.

He will also be subject to periods of supervision, and can only work in a group practice employing at least two registered medical staff.