Support floods in for GP

Lowood General Practitioner Rajendra Moodley was recently deregistered by the medical board.

Sarah Harvey

HIS future as an Australian GP might be on the line but Dr Rajendra Moodley said his spirits had been lifted by the Lowood community’s vocal support over the past few days.

The Medical Board of Australia cancelled Dr Moodley’s registration last Friday, citing his failure of a Structured Clinical Interview (SCI) and a portion of Royal Australian College of GPs fellowship examinations.

The decision has come to the complete dismay of hundreds of Dr Moodley’s current and former patients who hail from all over the Brisbane Valley and Ipswich.

The Queensland Times has been inundated with text messages from people determined to get Dr Moodley his old job back at Stellar Medical Lowood.

“I didn’t realise I had that much support,” Dr Moodley said.

“I have been getting plenty of calls – actually I have been on the phone the whole day.”

The support hasn’t just come from the general community either – health professionals from Brisbane have been in contact with the ousted doctor this week to offer encouragement.

Politicians including Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann and local mayor Graeme Lehmann have also publicly announced their dismay at the way Dr Moodley has been treated by the medical board.

Mr Neumann has taken the matter up with State Health Minister Paul Lucas and Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon without success.

He said there was no ministerial discretion over the board’s decision, and that the doctor’s future rested on the success of his legal appeal.

“The tribunal needs to look at the shoddy and sloppy way the SCI was handled,” Mr Neumann said.

“The consequences of this decision are not just for the doctor and his livelihood; there are also grave ramifications for the community.

“Dr Moodley has my support.”

Lawyers have taken the matter to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal and Dr Moodley said he was still waiting for word on what his future holds.

“I hope common sense prevails over stubbornness,” he said.

READ MORE ...

Patients fight to save GP

GP banned despite top reports