Regulator monitors doctor’s drug case

THE Office of the Health Ombudsman has confirmed it is aware of and “monitoring” the case of a leading Gold Coast doctor accused of possessing dangerous drugs.

Doctors and other medical practitioners have seven days to report to regulating bodies when they are charged with a criminal offence that could result in more than a year in prison.

In Queensland, doctors and their practices are monitored by the Office of the Health Ombudsman and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

A spokeswoman for the Office of the Health Ombudsman said the organisation was aware that Gold Coast obstetrician Ashraf Mohamed Hanafy had been charged with possessing dangerous drugs and “has been monitoring the case”.

She said speaking generally, the Health Ombudsman and the Medical Board of Australia could take action to suspend or impose conditions on a doctor’s registration if it was considered the practitioner’s health conduct or performance “poses a serious risk”.

“Depending on the individual case, immediate registration action can be taken within days,” she said.

A spokeswoman for AHPRA said regular criminal history checks were done on practitioners.

“We randomly audit the criminal history of registered practitioners and assess any findings from these audits against the practitioner’s declaration,” she said.

She said registered practitioners were required to report criminal charges.