Fake nurse turned emergency chief: Scott McLennan now holds senior role in NSW disaster service

A senior officer at the NSW State Emergency Service has been unmasked as a former fake cosmetic nurse who posed ‘a significant risk to the public’.

Convicted cosmetic cowboy and SES Superintendent Scott McLennan. Picture: Supplied

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A man convicted of working as a fake cosmetic nurse in Western Australia showed a “blatant dis­regard for the law” before becoming a high-ranking officer at a NSW government disaster emergency service.

NSW State Emergency Service Superintendent Scott McLennan moved across state lines in a bid to hide his notoriety as a cosmetic cowboy in Perth, posing “a significant risk to the public” after injecting unwitting patients with cosmetics while never being a registered nurse.

According to court documents obtained by The Australian, McLennan – who referred to himself as “Mr Sister Scott” – administered injectable treatments to patients, including Botox and fillers, and also supervised and provided training to nurses between 2015 and 2018.

In a March 2019 phone interview with investigators working for Australian Health Practitioner Regu­lation Agency, the nation’s health regulator, the SES employee admitted to authorities he had studied nursing but did not complete a qualification.

The court heard the 52-year-old abused his rapport with a longtime friend who hired him as a general manager at her Fremantle practice, misleadingly claiming he had “been in the nursing industry for 20 to 30 years”.

Fake cosmetic nurse and SES superintendent Scott McLennan.

In one example, Mr McLennan told a patient he was a nurse and had trained in the army before specialising in cosmetics.

At his sentencing hearing in November 2019, prosecutor Solene Yiklong, acting for AHPRA, said Mr McLennan, who failed to appear in court, showed “a blatant disregard” for the nursing accreditation process imposed under law.

“The accused we submit has shown a lack of remorse; he has not demonstrated any insight into the impact on his offending,” Ms Yiklong said.

“He has also avoided any attempts to be contacted about this matter and he was notified that if he did not appear today, the court could deal with the matter in his absence,” she said.

According to LinkedIn, Mr McLennan had commenced work at an aged-care facility in Bathurst two months before his court date.

Ms Yiklong said it was not a “case of inadvertence or accidental oversight” but instead Mr McLennan deceived numerous staff and patients over an extended period of time.

“The accused told patients and other nurses and staff at the clinic that he was a nurse, or he did not correct anyone who introduced him as a nurse or registered nurse,” she said. “He knowingly held himself out to be a registered nurse in a way which indicated that he was authorised to be a nurse, when in fact he was not.”

The court also heard he had previously been convicted and fined $2500 for a similar offence in NSW over a decade before.

Mr McLennan was fined $15,000 and issued a $4000 costs order by magistrate Mark Millington. “When people go to get treatment, they put their health and, more importantly, their life in people’s hands,” Mr Millington said.

Mr McLennan was described as a general manager and senior nurse on social media.

On Tuesday when contacted by The Australian, Mr McLennan said he had disclosed his convictions to the NSW SES. “I think the outputs that I have demonstrated over the last several years in this role both as a volunteer and as staff have demonstrated my commitment to the community to ensure the community remains safe,” he said.

Mr McLennan features heavily on SES social media forums and is depicted in various videos as a trusted face and authority on safety and preparedness.

He recently addressed the Northern Rivers community, which was facing imminent natural disaster, issuing tips and warnings before the onset of Cyclone Alfred earlier this year.

An SES report detailing the personal attributes of deputy zone commanders requires operators to display and act with integrity and they are “accountable for the quality, integrity and accuracy of the content of advice provided.”

The convicted fraudster still displays his foray into cosmetics on his online LinkedIn CV, with his stints at the Fremantle clinic and other medical institutions listed under “experience”.

In a 2013 post on his website, ­titled “Plastic Surgery Mistakes – Simple!”, he states one key mistake employers make is “not checking your clinician’s experience or qualification”.

“In Australia, the cosmetic and plastic surgery market is generally unregulated,” Mr McLennan said. “Under Australian law, only registered medical professionals can prescribe Botox or Dysport, and clinicians such as nurses can administer these medications,” he wrote.

In another post, he boasts “over 25 years of experience in healthcare – I have worked in Australia, across Asia Pacific, ­Europe and the US” highlighting experience in ICU and ED.

He told The Australian he was the recipient of the National Emergency Medal for his service during the 2019-20 bushfires and the Australian Defence Medal while serving in the Australian Army.

In a statement, the SES said all members were required to complete a criminal history check, and they were “reviewing” the matter.

“Where necessary, further assessments regarding suitability for membership are undertaken on a case-by-case basis in accordance with NSW SES policies and procedures and relevant external legislative requirements,” a spokeswoman said.

The Australian Defence Force was also contacted for comment.