Bacchus Marsh ­hospital sold Dr Surinder Parhar’s axing as ‘retirement’ to limit reputation damage

A DOCTOR at the centre of an infant deaths scandal was giving expert advice on the regional hospital’s problems with haemorrhaging mothers before being removed.

Dodgy doctor Surinder Parhar formerly of the Bacchus Marsh hospital, outside Vicroads, Melton, Picture Yuri Kouzmin

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A DOCTOR at the centre of an infant deaths scandal was providing expert advice on the regional hospital’s problems with haemorrhaging mothers just seven days before he was removed.

Dr Surinder Parhar’s departure from Bacchus Marsh ­hospital following revelations of avoidable infant deaths was officially sold as a voluntary “retirement”.

But hospital board minutes and correspondence with Dr Parhar released to the Herald Sun under Freedom of Information laws show Djerriwarrh Health Services concocted a story around his departure as part of a strategy to limit the damage to its reputation.

Within days of planning a party to recognise the former head of obstetrics and gynaecology’s “loyalty” over 30 years, the hospital quietly ­reported him to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

Last year, the Herald Sun­­ ­revealed an investigation into the hospital’s maternity ­services found seven of 11 stillborn or newborn deaths — five in 2013 and two in 2014 — might have been avoidable.

The Herald Sun is not suggesting Dr Parhar was directly involved in the deaths.

An investigation found seven of 11 stillborn or newborn deaths might have been avoidable.

On July 8 last year, four months after the investigation of the deaths began, the board was advised of the “release of employment” the previous day of Dr Parhar, “based on concerns relating to (deleted) …”.

Minutes of the board’s discussions of those concerns remain secret, with the hospital claiming their release would breach Dr Parhar’s privacy.

New CEO Andrew Freeman refused to comment.

Other minutes reveal the effort to put a “business as usual” spin on Dr Parhar’s departure.

Djerriwarrh Health Services CEO Andrew Freeman.

“The board was advised that from a commun­ications ­aspect, staff are being advised that the Director resigned to retire from practice, which is something he has been considering for several years,” the minutes state.

“At an appropriate time, a farewell will be ­organised for Dr Parhar and the retiring Nursing Unit for ­Maternity Services (manager who resigned last June) to recognise their loyalty to the Health Service over many years.”

The rush to remove Dr Parhar meant plans to cover his departure were “somewhat fluid”.

But, far from planning to retire, internal emails show Dr Parhar struggling to work out how to reduce his mountain of overtime in the coming year.

Dr Parhar, officially deregistered as a medical practitioner last October, failed to return the Herald Sun’s calls.

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