VCAT agrees to drug scam chemist’s request to hold off suspension until she sells business
A GREEDY pharmacist caught ripping off taxpayers in a drug scam has had a six-month suspension delayed by VCAT so it does not hinder the sale of her business.
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A GREEDY pharmacist caught ripping off taxpayers in a drug scam has had a six-month suspension delayed by VCAT so it does not hinder the sale of her practise.
The ruling means Dimity Hopkinson, who also falsified patient records as part of her scam, can keep working until the sale and then would be free to look for a new practise while serving her suspension.
Ms Hopkinson, who co-owns and operates the Amcal Max pharmacy in Cecil St, South Melbourne, was suspended and formally reprimanded by the Pharmacy Board of Australia after being convicted in the Magistrates Court of obtaining financial advantage.
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Ms Hopkinson was fined $7,500.00 and ordered to pay back $22,418.99 and $136.50 costs, which she has since done.
The Pharmacy Board found Ms Dimity guilty of professional misconduct and also placed conditions on her registration that will require her to undergo mentoring if she re-enters the industry.
According to an agreed statement of facts presented to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, between October 2012 and January 2014, Ms Hopkinson admitted lodging 71 fraudulent Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme claims to Medicare totalling $22,418.99.
Under the scam, Ms Hopkinson duplicated repeat orders for insulin which she then claimed back from Medicare, using her own patients’ details on the fake orders.
“This resulted in fraudulent benefits being paid via direct deposit into a bank account associated with the pharmacy,” this week’s VCAT finding says.
VCAT Deputy President Heather Lambrick found the suspension, reprimand and conditions on Ms Hopkinson’s registration were appropriate given her conduct involved a serious criminal offence, was deliberate, was not isolated, and was committed during her work as a pharmacist.
Ms Lambrick said Ms Hopkinson had breached the trust placed in her by her patients by using their details as part of her fraud, resulting in the creation of a false health record of items being dispensed to those patients.
“Practitioners have a duty to make the care of patients or clients their first concern and to practise safely and effectively. They must be ethical and trustworthy,” she said. “Patients or clients trust practitioners because they believe that, in addition to being competent, practitioners will not take advantage of them and will display such qualities as integrity, truthfulness, dependability and compassion.”
Ms Hopkinson told VCAT she and her business partner intend to sell the pharmacy and asked that her suspension be delayed until the sale, which is expected to occur by November.
“The Board did not oppose this and we were satisfied that it was appropriate to do so,” Ms Lambrick said. “The aim of our determination is not to punish Ms Hopkinson or her business partner. Once the pharmacy is sold, she will however have time to reflect on her conduct through a period of suspension.”