Family members fly to be at Box Hill coward-punch surgeon’s bedside

RELATIVES are rushing from overseas to be at the bedside of a beloved doctor, and father of twins, fighting for life after a cowardly one-punch attack at Box Hill hospital.

RELATIVES are tonight rushing from overseas to be at the bedside of a beloved doctor fighting for life after a cowardly one-punch attack at a Melbourne hospital.

Respected heart surgeon and father of two Dr Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann was listed as being in a critical condition, with grave fears for his life, after Tuesday night’s assault.

ACCUSED SURGEON BASHER IN WITHDRAWAL

Mill Park man Joseph Esmaili, 22, today faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, accused of striking Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann to the head in the foyer of the Box Hill hospital.

Mr Esmaili’s lawyer told the court her client was suffering drug withdrawal and a number of “psychiatric illnesses”.

The Herald Sun understands that Mr Esmaili had an appointment with a mental health specialist in recent weeks; however, there were doubts he had suffered a longstanding illness.

Box Hill surgeon Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann.

He had a long history of drug dependency.

Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann, 41, a father of twins, graduated from New Zealand’s University of Otago in 2002, and became a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2013, specialising in heart surgery.

He was expected to start a new role at St Vincent’s Hospital soon.

His colleagues at the Box Hill and Austin hospitals and at The Alfred met to discuss security concerns today.

Box Hill Hospital in Melbourne’s east. Picture: Steve Tanner

Minister for Health Jill Hennessy will meet with Box Hill Hospital officials this week. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Victorian health minister Jill Hennessy will meet representatives of hospitals and of the Australian Medical Association on Friday, after she returns from India.

Neurosurgeon Michael Wong, who was stabbed more than a dozen times by a patient at Western Hospital in 2014, told the Herald Sun there had been no real improvements to security arrangements for medical staff since.

“What happened to him (Dr Pritzwald-Stegmann) is almost an identical circumstance of what happened to me three years ago. This is totally unacceptable,” Mr Wong said.

Mr Esmaili was remanded to face court on August 24.