PSYCH PUT ON HOLD

Banned in UK but in line for $400,000 job at our hospital

FAR North health chiefs have suspended recruitment talks with a psychiatrist who was described by the UK Insolvency Service as “dodgy”.

Dr Richard Wayne Seamark (right) was being considered for a plum $400,000-a-year role with Cairns Hospital as clinical director of mental health.

But a simple Google search reveals Dr Seamark had been censured in the UK for failing to safeguard patients’ wellbeing.

Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service chief executive Clare Douglas refused to confirm how advanced the recruitment process was or if Dr Seamark had been offered the job.

The claims made against him in the UK include that he locked a patient in a room for weeks.

The CHHHS has been criticised for failing to undertake due diligence.

QUEENSLAND Health has been forced to reconsider a UK doctor’s application for a plum role in Cairns Hospital, after reports surfaced that a former patient in the UK had been left locked in a room for weeks.

The Cairns Post understands that Dr Richard Wayne Seamark was being considered for the $400,000 role of clinical director of mental health of Cairns Hospital.

This is despite his work history – which is available online – revealing he was banned as a company director for seven years in the UK for failing to “adequately safeguard patients’ wellbeing and safety”.

Following media questions yesterday, Queensland Health said Dr Seamark’s appointment “had not been finalised” and a contract had not been signed.

Cairns Hinterland HHS chief executive Clare Douglas confirmed Dr Seamark had applied for the role, but refused to confirm whether he had been formally offered the job or was still in contention for the position.

“A final decision in relation to the employment of Dr Seamark has not been made,” Ms Douglas said.

“Dr Seamark advised the Health Service of these matters in the UK and the Health Service suspended the recruitment process to enable Dr Seamark to respond. He has fully co-operated with the due diligence process that Queensland Health applies to all potential employees.”

While running Care+ in the UK, multiple complaints were made about the quality of care provided, including the failure to report serious incidents such as medicine errors, locking one patient in their room for several weeks and expired medical equipment.

The Insolvency Service in the UK said he was a “dodgy psychiatrist” who had been banned for jeopardising patient safety, and described his behaviour as “appalling’’.

“The failure by Dr Seamark to adequately safeguard patients’ wellbeing and safety presented a significant risk to vulnerable patients, staff and members of the public,’’ they wrote.

After his company went into voluntary liquidation on March 17 last year, Dr Seamark moved to Queensland.

Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates said the blunder had brought Queensland Health back into “the dark old days”.

“Obviously they need to explain why this appointment has been made, considering the shocking medical history of this doctor,” she said.

“A simple Google search would’ve revealed this doctor’s history. You have to do your due diligence.”