Cosmetic surgeon to face charges

Medical regulators have found that a cosmetic surgeon with a history for gross negligence should not practise again.

MEDICAL regulators have determined after a lengthy investigation into the disfiguring of several female patients that a cosmetic surgeon with a history for gross negligence should not practise again.

Investigators told patients yesterday that Adrianna Scheibner would be prosecuted as a result of a year-long investigation by the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission.

One of the patients, a Sydney woman admitted via the emergency department of a public hospital for acute anxiety and depression as a result of scarring to her face, said she lived with the evidence of an alleged botch-up.

"The advice I've received about a prosecution is finally some good news. In my view she should never again be permitted to do any cosmetic surgery, anywhere."

Another patient has been told by the commission that while its investigation was "now completed" and set for prosecution, investigations were continuing by the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Authority for interstate patients.

Dr Scheibner could not be contacted for comment. She has previously strenuously denied any wrongdoing in Australia, while blaming her shocking disciplinary record in the US on an addiction to pethidine and overly zealous authorities.

An investigation by The Australian last October raised concerns that Dr Scheibner had fabricated records and misused lasers and chemicals that disfigured the faces of her patients. Some suffered serious infections. A number of patients and staff provided details of allegedly filthy operating conditions and unorthodox dispensing of prescription drugs. One woman required emergency treatment after being over-sedated while others said they were in agony from receiving inadequate painkillers.

Dr Scheibner, who had owned a clinic in Beverly Hills and operated on Hollywood celebrities before she was prosecuted by California health authorities, had been working in country towns and cities in Australia until last year.

Dr Scheibner in 2003 admitted California Medical Board evidence that she had committed gross and repeated acts of negligence, fabricated medical records, supplied drugs to her business partner, fallen asleep during procedures, and injected herself with pethidine. She was permitted by Australian authorities to continue to practise here, but patients did not know of her past.

The new case against Dr Scheibner in Australia has highlighted what some of her former patients claim is a failure of regulators to protect the public.

They said action should have been taken sooner, particularly as a former director of her business, Clive Barrett, and others had alerted authorities to their serious concerns a year earlier.

"We all, including former employees, tried to do the right thing because we could see that something was drastically wrong," a source close to the case said. "There were heated discussions (with the Medical Council) because they were not doing anything and we were saying 'you can't ignore this, these issues are very serious'."

Dr Scheibner has previously refused to answer The Australian's written questions.