UPDATE
A senior health official says an inquiry found six patients were harmed as a result of inappropriate care by cancer specialist Kiran Phadke.
Chief executive of South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Gerry Marr, said the report of the inquiry also stated there were serious departures from accepted standards in all areas of Dr Phadke’s clinical practice.
Mr Marr said Dr Phadke had been invited to respond, but if he (Mr Marr) accepted the findings, he would be “minded to terminate” the specialist’s contract.
Mr Marr issued a statement after Dr Phadke told the Leader he had been told he was to be sacked from his positions at St George and Sutherland Hospitals.
Dr Phadke said the report, which he was not allowed to release, was “quite scathing, nasty and vindictive”, and “they have picked out every negative aspect and enhanced it”. (See story below).
Mr Marr said Dr Phadke had received a letter and a copy of the findings of the investigation and all expert reports.
“Dr Phadke has been invited to provide a submission within a three week time frame,” he said.
“Any comments will be taken into account in respect of the findings of the investigator’s report and will be carefully considered with additional expert advice.
“Only after that has occurred will a decision be made about Dr Phadke’s employment.”
Mr Marr said Dr Phadke’s summary of the cases that were investigated was inaccurate.
”The report found that of the 27 individual patients reviewed, six patients were harmed as a result of inappropriate care, eight patients may be at risk of future harm as a result of inappropriate care, six patients were not harmed but there was criticism of the care provided, seven patients received appropriate care,” he said.
“The report also includes important feedback from patients and families concerning their experience of the care provided.
“The report found that there were serious departures from accepted standards in all areas of Dr Phadke’s clinical practice from diagnosis; staging; providing advice to his patients; his treatment choices; documentation; and engagement with his peers.”
Mr Marr said, in his letter to Dr Phadke, he stated:
“Before I reach a final position, I am offering you an opportunity to provide me with any comments you would have me take into account in respect of the findings in the investigator’s report.
“I will carefully consider any submission you make and consult independent advisers on technical issues where necessary.
“If following consideration of your submission in relation to the findings, I accept the findings of the investigation report, I would be minded to terminate your contract of employment with the Local Health District.
“I am therefore inviting you to make any submission you would have me take into account in respect of the penalty.”
Mr Marr said the process had been “conducted in accordance with NSW Health policies which ensure Dr Phadke is afforded procedural fairness”.
EARLIER
Prominent cancer specialist Kiran Phadke has been told he is to be sacked from his positions at St George and Sutherland Hospitals.
The move follows an inquiry into his treatment of patients, which began when he was suspended in May last year.
Dr Phadke received the advice, dated January 30, in an email to his solicitors from the chief executive of South East Sydney Local Health District, Gerry Marr.
A copy of the report written by an internal review team was attached.
“The email said it was their intention to dismiss me in two weeks,” Dr Phadke told the Leader.
“I was given two weeks to respond, but they later agreed to extend that to three weeks.”
Dr Phadke said he was “shocked”.
“I was sort of expecting it because of the vicious nature of the whole campaign against me from the start, but I didn’t think it would be as bad as this,” he said.
Dr Phadke said the report, which he was not allowed to release, was “quite scathing, nasty and vindictive”.
“They have picked out every negative aspect and enhanced it,” he said.
Dr Phadke said the report found he provided inappropriate treatment to eight patients, and there were significant issues is another six cases.
It had also said there were a further eight patients, who were well at present, but whose condition could be compromised under his renewed treatment.
Dr Phadke said all of the adverse findings, with the exception of one dubious case, involved haematology [blood related] cancers.
There had been no suggestion of chemotherapy under-dosing, which former Health Minister Jillian Skinner had claimed.
Dr Phadke said while the inquiry had found his treatment of oncology (solid tumor) patients, with one possible exception, was appropriate, the specialties were linked and so he should not practice either.
Dr Phadke said the process was “clearly unfair” because the inquiry had been conducted by people from the local health district, with advice from external reviewers who were also from the area.
He said the huge amount of support he received from others in the medical profession, patients, former patients and their families, may have worked against him.
“I think the problem is that the CEO is not going to give in,” he said.
“There are people in the health ministry and the [local health] district, who are out to keep doctors under control.
“They are hell bent on targeting doctors who stand up to them.
“They make an example of people like me to make sure others don’t step out of line.”
Dr Phadke said the report by the internal review team included information, but not the full advice, of the external reviewers.
Dr Phadke, who pioneered cancer care services in St George and Sutherland Shire, is a strong advocate of individualised treatment of cancer patients.
He says the culture being imposed by health bureaucrats deprives patients of choices about their treatment and their own quality of life and the effects on their families.
South East Sydney Local Health has been asked to comment.
