Strathfield GP, Dr Peter Alexakis who fought the Salvation Army in court to claim $24 million from a patient’s estate was reprimanded with more than a dozen conditions placed on his registration by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) on Friday, June 21.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, this decision follows the NSW Court of Appeal’s ruling last month that upheld Alexakis’ claim to 90 per cent of the $27 million estate of his patient Raymond McClure after his death.
In bringing the action to the NCAT, the Health Care Complaints Commission stated that Alexakis posed an unacceptable risk to the public and that his registration should now be suspended or cancelled.
Five complaints were upheld by the tribunal relating to cancelling or suspending Alexakis’ registration, yet it was concluded that simply placing conditions on his registration “would adequately protect the health and safety of the public.”
The tribunal described the recent court proceedings as a “harrowing experience” for Alexakis, and that they had “opened his eyes” to the gravity of his conduct which included prescribing addictive drugs.
“Realistically, having regard to his age, and the professional development which [Alexakis] has undertaken in the past six and a half years, little purpose would be served in suspending his registration,” the tribunal said in its decision.
Under the restrictions currently enforced by the tribunal, Alexakis cannot possess or prescribe any schedule 8 “drug of addiction”; he is barred from visiting patients in their home or nursing home; and he must complete courses on ethical decision-making and palliative care treatment.
Alexakis must appoint another GP to also be his mentor and to practise in a clinic with at least two other registered medical practitioners; he cannot attend to more than 36 patients a day.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
