Panel hearing summary 2020.0891

Decision of the Medical Board of Australia

Performance and professional standards panel 

Jurisdiction: Western Australia
Date of Decision: 13 October 2020

Classification of Notification

Clinical care - Inadequate or inappropriate examination or assessment and investigation / incorrect or delayed diagnosis and Documentation - Health record - Inadequate, inaccurate or misleading

Summary

The Board referred allegations in respect of the Practitioners treatment of a patient by way of an Emergency Telehealth Service, where the Practitioner failed to provide good patient care. Specifically, he did not conduct an adequate assessment of the patient, did not take into account the patient’s history provided by nursing staff, did not conduct adequate testing and investigations of the patient, did not formulate a suitable management plan for the patient and failed to escalate the patient to a higher level facility. In addition, the Practitioner failed to maintain clear and accurate medical records.

The Panel found that the Practitioner had behaved in a way that constitutes unsatisfactory professional performance. The Panel cautioned the Practitioner.  In determining sanction, the Panel took into consideration that the relevant events had taken place six years prior and further, that the Practitioner had appropriately reflected on the incident and had taken some steps to improve his practice by undertaking remedial education.