Disgraced doctor punted from peak body, takes indefinite leave from Sydney hospital
By Charlotte Grieve
A peak surgical professional organisation has revoked Dr Munjed Al Muderis’ membership, and the star surgeon has taken indefinite leave from Sydney’s Macquarie University Hospital after a damning court judgment found he was negligent towards his vulnerable patients.
The Federal Court dismissed Al Muderis’ defamation case against The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and 60 Minutes earlier this month, after ruling his surgical practice was unethical and negligent and that he was cruel and callous to vulnerable patients and placed profits and fame over care.
Surgeon Munjed Al Muderis at the Federal Court last year.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
In a move that could spark intervention from regulators, the Australian Orthopaedic Association, the peak training and professional body for the country’s orthopaedic surgeons, issued a short statement on Wednesday saying its board had stripped the disgraced surgeon of his membership the previous evening.
One orthopaedic surgeon, who could not be named because they were discussing confidential matters, said this meant the association had formally referred the matter to health regulator AHPRA.
The surgeon said Al Muderis would be able to continue operating without AOA membership, but would lose access to registrars, trainees and fellows that his practice relied upon.
The surgeon said the association had received around 25 written complaints about Al Muderis in the past week.
“The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. We couldn’t walk past this standard,” they said.
Contacted for comment, Al Muderis’ lawyers said he had no notice of the AOA’s statement prior to receiving questions from this masthead.
“The conduct of the board of the AOA is irregular and contrary to the requirements of the AOA constitution. This has been raised with the AOA and we will let you know if we receive a response,” the lawyers said.
Patient Leah Mooney was among those who complained to the association.
“I was a victim of his incompetence as a surgeon and his little regards for after-care,” she wrote to the association on Tuesday night. “I have been left with a permanently stiff leg. From 2012, we have been dealing with the HCCC [Health Care Complaints Commission] and the Medical Council without any satisfaction.
Leah Mooney with her husband, Tim Mooney, outside the Federal Court.Credit: Janie Barrett
“I would strongly advise you consider the numerous complaints and findings and find Dr Al Muderis unworthy of his profession.”
In response, the AOA’s chair of professional conduct and standards, Susan Liew, apologised for Mooney’s suffering, and pledged to raise her complaint at Tuesday night’s board meeting.
“I am so sorry you have had such a terrible experience and continue to live with the consequences. As you can imagine, we have had a number of communications from various people including our colleagues. Our board will be discussing this matter tonight to determine what the AOA can do,” Liew wrote.
Dr Al Muderis’ former patient turned business partner, Fred Hernandez, resubmitted a complaint he made several years ago.
Fred Hernandez urged action against Al Muderis.
“This individual has had many accusations/complaints made about him over the years and yet has endured with impunity. The court case not only shed a light upon the actions of Al Muderis but has proven they were and have always been true,” he said.
“It is time an agency within Australia takes formal action upon this individual.”
Liew also responded to Hernandez, thanking him for his professionalism and stating “you would not be surprised that we [the AOA] have received a number of complaints in relation to this matter over the last few days”.
Al Muderis’ professional website promotes the AOA branding, as well as the Australian Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons (ASOS), an association to “promote and maintain the highest standard of orthopaedic care”.
ASOS chief executive Stephen Milgate said last week that Al Muderis would soon be asked to remove its logo from his website.
“Dr Munjed Al Muderis is NOT currently an ASOS member. And according to our database, he has not been an ASOS member since 2012,” Milgate said.
“We have recently updated our constitution regarding use of our ASOS logo (we are currently awaiting approval from ASIC for these changes). We will be contacting him once the constitution is ratified by ASIC.”
Macquarie University Hospital said on Wednesday that Al Muderis was not currently practising at the hospital and had taken indefinite leave.
“The hospital continues to carefully consider all latest developments regarding this matter,” a spokesperson said.
“There are no current complaints about the matters raised in the Federal Court ruling, nor have any issues been raised directly with the hospital by appropriate regulators.
“Any formal investigations, if warranted, are conducted in accordance with our established policies and procedures, and with respect for due process, fairness and confidentiality.”
Al Muderis remains able to operate at several hospitals around Sydney including Norwest.
A spokesperson for Healthscope, the company that operates Norwest, said on Monday that Al Muderis remained accredited but his profile was recently deleted from its website because he had not performed any surgery since April.
“We are concerned by the court findings and will take appropriate action should the relevant regulators place any restrictions on Dr Al Muderis’ practice,” the spokesperson said.
Medical regulators the HCCC and AHPRA have previously said they are reviewing the court judgment but have not committed to any new investigations.
Several major charities and the University of Sydney have issued statements undermining evidence Al Muderis provided in court and denied any ongoing affiliation with the disgraced surgeon.
AHPRA were contacted for comment.
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