Dr Walid Aly: Rape-accused anaesthesiologist appeals medical suspension

The Medical Board of Australia has argued trust in the profession is being damaged every day a rape-accused anaesthesiologist is allowed to continue working, as he appeals his suspension.

Editor's Note: On 14 February 2023, the jury found Dr Aly not guilty of rape.

An anaesthesiologist accused of a rape has appeared before a tribunal to fight his suspension from medical practice.

Dr Walid Aly’s ability to practise medicine was suspended by the Medical Board of Australia on August 30 last year, after being charged with rape and reckless injury.

He has vehemently denied the accusations, which are unrelated to his work as a medical practitioner.

Dr Aly has previously claimed the allegations were made by a “racist” and “psychopathic” woman who started to blackmail him – threatening to ruin his career.

The former Sunshine Hospital anaesthesiologist appeared before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Wednesday to appeal the suspension of his medical licence.

The tribunal heard the doctor was charged after a police investigation into the alleged incident.

Dr Walid Aly had his medical licence suspended In August 2021 over criminal charges relating to an alleged rape.

The following month he notified the Medical Board of the charges he was facing, but the Board decided not to take immediate action and suspend him.

Acting for the Board, barrister Marion Isobel said the decision was based on the limited information they had from police at the time contrasted against arguments put forward by Dr Aly.

“An email sent by Dr Aly made a number of allegations to undermine the credibility of the complainant,” she said.

“He assured the Board the case against him was groundless. Ultimately it decided it could not form a reasonable belief that it was within the public interest to suspend his medical licence.”

Ms Isobel said the Board later received a “significant” amount of evidence which “changed the landscape” and led to a review of the decision.

“Trust is at the heart of the patient practitioner relationship,” she said. “If proven, these allegations would destroy any patient’s trust in him.”

Acting for Dr Aly, council Sebastian Reid argued that nothing had altered the public interest between the two actions taken by the Board.

“Dr Aly has continued to work and display the requirements of a registered anaesthesiologist, the question that needs to be asked is why is the Board seeking a suspension now?” he said.

“There‘s a clear delineation between the alleged conduct and the work Dr Aly does.”

Ms Isobel countered, saying the suspension was not about a risk posed to patients but about the “standards of the profession and trust in the regulator”.

“Those standards are being damaged every day he’s allowed to work with vulnerable patients,” she said.

Dr Aly was granted a stay of the suspension at an early VCAT hearing on October 13, allowing him to continue to practise medicine while awaiting the decision of the current hearing.

Dr Walid Aly has denied the allegations, labelling the complainant a “racist” who was trying to ruin his career.

The tribunal heard he was working at two dental clinics in Melbourne’s west and was contracted to do some work this month in Wagga Wagga.

Presiding VCAT senior member Elisabeth Wentworth reserved the tribunal‘s right to make a determination at a later date, saying a decision would be handed down in writing.

“We want to give consideration to the submissions made today,” she said.