Waikato District Health Board hires surgeon despite referees' concerns

A foreign-trained orthopedic doctor was hired by the Waikato District Health Board despite concerns about communication disorders and concerns about behavior and personality

The surgeon posed his candidacy for a position on the Health Council in 2012 and provided three written references from colleagues with whom he had worked more than two years previously.

References referred to communication.

The hiring process of the health commission indicated that there should be at least two references, at least one of a previous manager, preferably the most recent, and a written reference of A colleague in the last 12 years.

The board of health did not ask for references from his most recent work, but said the surgeon had not been working since 2011, so there was no colleague from there. Last year that could provide a reference.

The doctor told investigators of two previous incidents related to the patient and that he could be "frank" in his opinions but they did so. do not consider this a problem. A Google search also found a "couple of isolated complaints", but they seemed to match the doctor's version of events.

He was employed but in 2014 three written complaints were made by patients about his communication, personality and behavior. 19659002] The company chief discussed two of them with the surgeon, but neither his supervisor nor the clinical head was made aware.

A new business leader took over in 2014 but was not informed of complaints about the surgeon.

A fourth and fifth complaint was filed and, by the end of the same year, the new director of affairs had confirmed that he was receiving more complaints than his fellow orthopedic surgeons.

The colleague filed a formal complaint stating that he would resign unless concerns about the foreign surgeon were addressed.

An external examination was ordered and the extension of the surgeon's contract was canceled. During the examination, the surgeon left the country and could not be contacted.

The Commissioner concluded that the board of health had not conducted adequate audits and put in place adequate systems to identify disturbing behavior. He also expressed concern about the lack of supervision given the surgeon's history.

"He has the obligation to select competent employees and monitor their competence, to provide guidance and supervision of his staff and to set up He has formulated a number of recommendations concerning the improvement of DHB recruitment, supervision, performance management and complaint management processes

The conclusions are drawn from a report of the Commission of the Services of the DHB. State on the expenses of dishonored people Nigel Murray, former director of the Waikato Health Board, revealed that he had been removed from office in a health board in Canada several months before obtaining the position

when recruiting Murray in 2014 because Simcock did not ask for a reference to Murray's former employer.