Minister demands report on 'banned' doctor

Health Minister Tony Ryall has asked for an urgent report into why it took the Medical Council a year to cancel an Auckland doctor's practising certificate despite "grave concerns" about his patients' safety.

And it appears the doctor may still be working even though 16 formal complaints have been made against him.

A Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal decision made public yesterday found Ratilal Magan Ranchhod guilty of working without a current practising certificate in 2008 and 2009 and forging one.

The Medical Council did not renew Dr Ranchhod's practising certificate when it expired in December 2008, after 16 complaints about him were made to the Health and Disability Commissioner.

Dr Ranchhod has held an interim practising certificate since April 2009 but with stringent conditions, including supervision.

The tribunal censured him and fined him $27,500 for professional misconduct.

However, the commissioner had written to the council in December 2007 to warn it about Dr Ranchhod, after the 14th and 15th complaints the commissioner received.

"I now hold grave concerns that the public is at risk of harm by Dr Ranchhod's ongoing practice," Commissioner Ron Paterson wrote.

He urged the council to suspend Dr Ranchhod's practising certificate immediately.

The council instead agreed in January 2008 that Dr Ranchhod could continue to practise as long as he followed stringent conditions, including weekly monitoring of his clinical notes and decision-making.

The commissioner's office received a 16th complaint against him in July 2008 and Dr Paterson repeated his concerns to the council.

In December 2008 the council finally decided not to renew Dr Ranchhod's practising certificate.

Mr Ryall asked yesterday for an urgent report from the council, after The Dominion Post pointed out the delay between Dr Paterson's advice and the council taking action.

A spokesman said Mr Ryall was expecting the report by the weekend.

Council chairman John Adams was not aware of Mr Ryall's request yesterday but stood by the council's actions.

"People felt that there was not a substantive enough background to immediately suspend Dr Ranchhod's [practising certificate] but further measures were taken by strengthening the conditions of his practice.

"As it turned out, with further complaints, the council decided not to renew his certificate."

Questions about Dr Ranchhod's competency were first raised in May 2006, when the commissioner told the council Dr Ranchhod had 11 complaints against him and suggested an investigation was required.

A 12th complaint was made in October 2006.

The commissioner's office would not give The Dominion Post details of any of the complaints.

The council assessed Dr Ranchhod in April 2007 and found he was "not performing at an acceptable level for a doctor working in general practice". It found he had "poorly developed communication skills with lack of engagement, rapport-building, warmth, empathy and compassion".

It asked him to undertake retraining and re-sit the College of General Practitioners' Primex exam to prove his competency.

Another complaint was passed on to the council in June 2007, followed by the final complaints that prompted the commissioner's warnings.

Dr Ranchhod failed the clinical part of the exam in December 2008.

A College of GPs spokesman said yesterday that he failed again when he sat the test at the end of 2009. It was unsure if he still worked at East Tamaki Health Care's Manurewa clinic, where he had been working under strict supervision since last November.

Neither Dr Ranchhod nor the clinic could be contacted yesterday.

- © Fairfax NZ News