Patients fight to save GP

Michele Lacey and her son Aaron are patients of GP Rajendra Moodley and want him to stay.

Sarah Harvey

FROM amputees to cancer sufferers, embattled GP Dr Rajendra Moodley has come to the aid of people with a wide range of health problems during his time in Australia.

Now it is these patients who are going in to bat for their GP, who was deregistered by the Medical Board of Australia last Friday.

The decision has put the future of Dr Moodley – a South African-trained doctor – and hundreds of his patients in limbo.

If the board refuses to change its mind and a legal challenge fails, the doctor faces the loss of his temporary visa and he, along with his wife and two young children, will be forced to move overseas.

Lowood resident Heather Spinks said she found it hard to come to terms with the prospect.

“I've been going to him for six years and he has been a wonderful doctor,” Mrs Spinks said.

“I had a badly busted ankle a while ago and he would come around at nine o'clock at night to make sure I was okay.

“Two years ago he found cancer in my husband that nobody else would have looked for – I credit him with saving my husband's life.”

Testimonials also came from Michelle Lacey, whose teenage son Aaron suffers bone cancer.

Dianne Beattie, whose mother-in-law suffers heart and kidney failure and is an amputee, said Dr Moodley was the only GP in the region who had offered to travel to Lauriston Aged Care facility for consultations.

A petition calling for a reversal of the medical board's decision continues to gather signatures.

Staff at Stellar Medical Lowood – where Dr Moodley worked – said that as of Monday there were already 20 pages of names on the petition.

Dr Moodley's lawyers are seeking a stay on the decision and will lodge an application with the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Member for Blair Shayne Neumann said he would pursue the matter with the State Minister for Health Paul Lucas and do all he could to help Dr Moodley keep practising.

A spokeswoman from the Medical Board of Australia said they were simply acting to protect the community.

“The board makes every decision about the registration of a medical practitioner carefully,” she said.

“For doctors with limited registration, the board must decide if the individual doctor has the skills, qualifications and experience to provide safe care to Australian patients in a particular role.”

The board refused to comment specifically on Dr Moodley's case because of privacy concerns.