ADTOA Press Release  September 03, 2010

Here we go again!!! 

Moodley Decision Unfair and Discriminatory

 

It is unethical and inappropriate to deregister an Australian doctor who has performed well at his job for six years, is desperately wanted and needed by his community based on a “screening test”.

The decision of the new Australian Medical Board to deregister Dr. Moodley is discriminatory and an affront to the Australian ethos of a fair go. The Medical Board actions have robbed the Lowood community of a much needed and loved doctor and put it at risk by exacerbating the critical doctor shortage.  

 

The exam failed by Dr. Moodley was designed to be a screening test that IMGs take before they start work in Australia. It was not designed to assess well-established doctors working in Australia like Dr. Moodley. Any first year medical student can tell you that a “screening” test is not meant to assess whether someone has or has not a problem, rather it is intended to flag that there MAY be a problem. This is similar to removing someone’s bowel because they have some blood in their stool or removing a breast based on an abnormal mammogram!

 

 

The Medical Board is hiding behind its decision by claiming that they have a duty to protect the public. They have neglected to mention that they also have a duty of care to treat doctors fairly. It is inappropriate to deregister a doctor without substantial proof of a doctor’s incompetence unless there is imminent risk of harm to the public. In this case the Medical Board has not provided sufficient evidence of incompetence and/or risk to the public to warrant its drastic actions. In fact there is good evidence of competence in that he has worked in the community for six years without any evidence of problems to the satisfaction of his professional colleagues and public.

 

These actions would not be tolerated if this involved an Australian trained doctor in the absence of sufficient evidence of incompetence. Consequently the Medical Board has set two sets of standards; one for IMGs in which you are guilty until proven innocent and one for Australian trained doctors where you are innocent until proven guilty.

Consequently ADTOA is calling on the Medical Board to immediately reinstate Dr. Moodleys registration pending a more appropriate and balanced assessment of his skills and knowledge including some form of practice based assessment.

 

Contact Dr Sue Douglas 0435 255 475

Authorized by ADTOA Management Sept 03, 2010