Reflections on the Bundaberg Hospital failure

Jayant Patel is a general surgeon, based in the United States, who was employed at Queensland's Bundaberg Hospital from 2003 to 2005. He withheld information that in 2001 he had agreed to surrender his New York State medical licence, and that prior to that the scope of his surgical practice was restricted in Oregon.(1) These matters were not investigated in his assessment by the Queensland Medical Board, and he was appointed Director of Surgery at Bundaberg Base Hospital in 2003. It is alleged that his work in Bundaberg was seriously substandard, and the deaths of close to 90 patients were being investigated by a Commission of Inquiry 2 headed by Anthony Morris QC. The Commission was examining issues connected with Dr Patel's appointment (and the registering and monitoring of overseas-trained doctors in general); allegations and complaints about procedures conducted by Dr Patel; and improvements to Queensland Health to ensure that future clinical complaints and allegations are properly received, processed, and investigated. With the Inquiry's recent termination on the basis of a perception of bias, a final report will not be forthcoming. A concurrent Queensland Health Systems Review(3) headed by Peter Forster a consultant with wide experience in the review Of government organisations, released an Interim Report in July 2005 that is critical of Queensland Health.