More than 140 healthcare professionals in Australia have been permanently flagged for sexual misconduct following changes to national laws designed to enhance patient protection, according to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). This retrospective measure, effective from 2010 onwards, ensures that a sexual misconduct classification remains on practitioners' public profiles indefinitely, replacing previous policies where such notations could be removed once conditions or disqualifications were lifted.
As of July, a compiled list identified 147 doctors, nurses, and allied health workers across the country with the permanent sexual misconduct label on AHPRA's public register. Of these individuals, only one remains currently registered; the vast majority are on cancelled or prohibited registers. AHPRA has not disclosed the exact number of currently practising professionals carrying the designation, though estimates suggest the figure is likely fewer than 20. This total is notably lower than anticipated prior to the implementation of the new laws in April.
In New South Wales, 42 health practitioners with sexual misconduct findings appear on the cancelled register. This group comprises 13 doctors, seven nurses, six psychologists, four chiropractors, and two dentists. Among those listed is former NSW Health doctor Leonicio Antonio Bello, who admitted to engaging in inappropriate conduct by providing a patient with his mobile number and later masturbating the patient at his home in Brighton-Le-Sands. Police reportedly discovered sex lubricant bottles and anabolic steroids in Bello’s residence during investigations.
Another practitioner, Mustafa Taibali Jamnagarwalla, formerly practising in Granville, was found to have touched a 12-year-old girl’s upper thigh, near her genital area, while conducting an ear examination. Despite being banned from treating female patients, Jamnagarwalla subsequently saw 29 women on 33 occasions between January and October 2019.
In a separate case, Dr. Cedric Schamanan, who worked in Narooma on the South Coast, came under scrutiny for requesting a patient with a prescription medication addiction to wear high-heeled shoes to appointments. He then engaged in physical contact, such as hugging, and allegedly prescribed excessive amounts of various medications, in addition to providing the patient with money.
The introduction of the permanent sexual misconduct classification underlines efforts by regulators to strengthen safeguards against abuse within the healthcare system. However, questions remain about the extent to which current practitioners are subject to this oversight and the practical impact on patient safety.