Health Ombudsman v Adhar

QUEENSLAND CIVIL AND
ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL

CITATION:

Health Ombudsman v Adhar [2025] QCAT 251

PARTIES:

HEALTH OMBUDSMAN

(applicant)

v

PREM ADHAR

(respondent)

APPLICATION NO/S:

OCR146-21

MATTER TYPE:

Occupational regulation matters

DELIVERED ON:

4 June 2025 (decision)

19 September 2025 (reasons)

HEARING DATE:

4 June 2025

HEARD AT:

Brisbane

DECISION OF:

Judicial Member Dick SC
Assisted by:
Dr B Bell
Dr E Chew

Mr P Zimon

ORDERS:

THE TRIBUNAL ORDERS THAT:

1. Until further order, pursuant to s 66(1) of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2009 (Qld), publication of:

(a)     the contents of a document or other thing filed in or produced to the Tribunal;

(b)     evidence given before the Tribunal;

(c)     any order made or reasons given by the Tribunal;

is prohibited to the extent that it could identify or lead to the identification of the patients identified in the material before the Tribunal save as provided for by the terms of this order and save as is necessary for the parties to engage in and progress these proceedings, or any appeal or review arising from these proceedings, and for the applicant to provide information to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency or National Board in the exercise of the Health Ombudsman’s statutory functions under the Health Ombudsman Act 2013 (Qld).

2.     Any material affected by the non-publication order shall not be copied or inspected without an order of the Tribunal, except by:

(a)     a judicial member;

(b)     a tribunal member;

(c)     an associate to a judicial officer or tribunal member appointed under relevant legislation;

(d)     any assessor appointed to assist the Tribunal;

(e)     the staff of the Tribunal registry;

(f)      any judicial officer, court staff or associate dealing with any appeal or review arising from these proceedings; or

(g)     the parties to these proceedings or any appeal or review arising from these proceedings.

IT IS THE DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL THAT:

1. Pursuant to s 107(2)(b)(iii) of the Health Ombudsman Act 2013 (Qld) (‘HO Act’), the respondent has behaved in a way that constitutes professional misconduct.

2. Pursuant to s 107(3)(a) of the HO Act, the respondent is reprimanded.

3. Pursuant to s 107(3)(e) of the HO Act, the respondent’s registration is cancelled.

4. Pursuant to s 107(4)(a) of the HO Act, the respondent is disqualified from applying for registration as a registered health practitioner for a period of two (2) years from the date of this order.

5.    No order as to costs.

CATCHWORDS:

PROFESSIONS AND TRADES – HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS – MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS – DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS – PROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT AND UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT – GENERALLY – where the respondent is a medical practitioner – where the respondent provided wholly inadequate medical management to three patients – where the respondent knowingly prescribed Endone to a patient for another patient’s use and took steps to avoid detection of that conduct – where the respondent engaged in a non-sexual boundary violation with a patient – where the parties have reached an agreement as to characterisation and sanction –…