WearyBonnieFeb 24

Regulator 'dropped the ball' by dismissing complaints about gynaecologist's practices, expert says

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-24/endometriosis-surgeon-simon-gordon-ahpra-complaints-four-corners/106376338

> Australia's medical regulator, AHPRA, faces criticism for failing to act on complaints from patients about surgeries by Melbourne gynaecologist Simon Gordon. 

'Your word against his': Women's complaints against surgeon dismissed by regulator

Australia's medical regulator, AHPRA, faces criticism for failing to act on complaints from patients about surgeries by Melbourne gynaecologist Simon Gordon. 

Show threadWearyBonnieFeb 24
This is absurd????
"The professor said when a senior colleague of theirs had tried to approach AHPRA about Dr Gordon in the past the colleague had been told AHPRA did not want doctor-led complaints and that the complaints had to come from the patients, so the professor advised Claire and Sophie to contact the regulator directly."
Show threadWearyBonnieFeb 24

"She then spoke with an AHPRA investigator and Claire said she was told that it was rare for the regulator to seek independent expert advice and that they usually just relied on the explanation from the doctor."

JFC.

Show threadskuaFeb 24

@3TomatoesShort

Senior #AHPRA need to explain the huge gap between community (and professional) expectations of rigorous investigation and the "wet paper bag" investigations that AHPRA is delivering.

Good looking bios.
Quality of investigations?
Board:
#GillCallister PSM
#ArieFreiberg
#LyntonNorris
#JeffreyMoffet
#CarmenParter
#AndrewBrown
#PatriciaDavidson
#TanyaMcGregor
#LeanneOShannessy PSM

Management
#JustinUntersteiner CEO

#APS #AustralianPublicService #AusPol
https://www.ahpra.gov.au/About-Ahpra/Who-We-Are/Ahpra-Board/Member-Profiles.aspx#

Show threadCleoFeb 24
@skua @3TomatoesShort i reported an Occupational Practioner who worked in the rubber industry, and english wasn't a language she was strong in. Needless to say she had difficulty understanding neuro diversity, workplace expectation and medication which assist me functioning day to day.
When i reported that i had an unfair assessment, along with a note from my phsyciatrist outlining how she didnt grasp the nuance. They sided with the practitioner.
Show threadWearyBonnie
@Gh0stlyM0use
@skua
I'm sorry :(
I'm failing to see the point of them at all, if there is no requirement for them to seek independent advice from qualified experts, rather than just saying to the person being investigated "are you sure you didn't do anything wrong?" 😶
Feb 24 at 3:50amWeb
Show threadCleoFeb 24
@3TomatoesShort @skua they go through the notes reports, etc. But it's a self-serving system at the end of the day designed to protect the practitioners, not the patient... oops sorry meant to say client.
Show threadskuaFeb 24

@3TomatoesShort @Gh0stlyM0use
AIUI:
AHPRA do check that registered practitioners can fill out forms in a timely manner and will enforce requirements for things like adequate patient history and treatment recording.

[grimmace] Is that the minimum standard that the community wants from registered health professionals?

No, we want much, much more.

AHPRA seems to be giving consumers false confidence. And to be letting practitioners run amok.
#AusPol #PublicHealth #HealthRegulation

Show threadCleoFeb 24
@skua @3TomatoesShort I love how we are now consumers and not patients. It really lets you know what the priorities are.
Show threadskuaFeb 24
@Gh0stlyM0use @3TomatoesShort
It ties in, I think, with the concept of Patient Led Medicine. Which sounds all very nice until you wonder if Passenger Led Aircraft Piloting is really what you want or if you think that the expert people with high quality training and decades of experience are better at flying airplanes.
#PatientLedMedicine
Show threadWearyBonnieFeb 24
@skua
@Gh0stlyM0use
Yeah that does not sound great - when you are unwell, why would you want to be the one *leading* your healthcare? It's hard enough just to deal with symptoms and daily life!
Show threadskuaFeb 24

@3TomatoesShort @Gh0stlyM0use

How to do Patient Led Medicine:

Oncologist: What do you want to do?

Patient: We'll both take ketamine and then choreograph dances around how the fundamental interconnectedness of everything relates to human consciousness, death and all my desires.

#DirkGently #SvladCjelli #PatientLedMedicine

Show threadCleoFeb 24
@skua @3TomatoesShort it should be 'patient first.' I feel the word 'lead' was possibly not the best one for the situation.
Show threadWearyBonnieFeb 24
@Gh0stlyM0use
@skua
I have heard patient-centred before, but that also raises my cynicism, as I feel like that should just be the norm, not some special thing to aim for.
Show threadskuaFeb 24

@3TomatoesShort @Gh0stlyM0use
In many ways it should be the norm.
But seems some Victorian obstetricians might have had higher priorities.
I do wonder how much of the "consumers", "patient led" & "patient centered" is aimed at the doctors, trying to get through centuries of "the divine right of doctors".

And there is also funding, budget allocations and staffing that bear directly on who or what is actually being centred.