Australia, Aug. 23 -- New South Wales Land and Environment Court issued text of the following judgement on July 23:
1. The Health Care Complaints Commission (the HCCC), by its Amended Complaint document dated 20 June 2025, seeks a protective order under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) (the National Law) that pursuant to s 149C(1)(b) there be a cancellation of the registration of Dr George Hatoum (the Respondent) with a stated non-review period imposed of 2 years. The HCCC was granted leave by the Tribunal to rely upon its Amended Complaint on 23 June 2025.
2. The Respondent opposes the order sought by the HCCC.
3. The parties have elected to have the Tribunal determine in this Stage One hearing, whether the Respondent is guilty of the four Complaints specified in the Application for Disciplinary Findings and Orders document (the Complaint) moved on by the HCCC. In the event of findings being made as sought by the HCCC, the parties request the Tribunal convene a Stage Two hearing at a date available to the Tribunal and the parties.
4. The Complaint document sets out the "Background to all Complaints". The Respondent, by his Amended Reply document filed 23 June 2025, accepts the facts set out in the "Background to all Complaints" section of the Complaint is correct.
5. The Background Facts are stated to be as follows:
"The practitioner was formerly known as George Abou-Hatoum.
The practitioner completed a Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery at the University of New South Wales in 1994. The practitioner was first registered as a medical practitioner in Australia on 4 January 1994.
On 6 August 1999, the practitioner was de-registered with a non-review period of three years following adverse findings made by the Medical Tribunal in relation to three complaints of boundary violations with female patients.
On 28 May 2003, the practitioner was granted re-registration under conditions. Those conditions expired in June 2005.
Between 2004 and 2007, the practitioner worked as a Career Medical Officer ("CMO") at Fairfield Hospital.
In 2007, the practitioner and his wife set up a General Practice in Bankstown.
On 13 August 2013, a section 150 hearing was held in relation to two complaints of boundary violations with female patients. The Medical Tribunal imposed nine conditions on the practitioner's registration.
On 31 July 2020, a section 150 hearing was held in relation to a complaint of criminal charges of several serious offences. The Medical Council suspended the practitioner's registration with effect from 5.00pm 31 July 2020.
On 9 December 2020, the practitioner pleaded guilty in the Local Court of NSW to one offence of "dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception" pursuant to section 192E(1)(b) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW); and one offence of "make false document to obtain financial advantage" pursuant to section 253(b)(ii) of the Crimes Act ("the convictions").
On 16 and 17 May 2022, the practitioner was the subject of proceedings at the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal ("the Tribunal") in relation to the convictions. The Tribunal noted that the practitioner had been suspended from 31 July 2020 by order of the Medical Council following the section 150 hearing on this date. On 6 July 2022, the Tribunal suspended the practitioner until 16 August 2022 and imposed a number of conditions on the practitioner's registration upon conclusion of the period of suspension.
On 28 August 2022, the practitioner commenced working at Victoria Tower Medical ("the Clinic").
Patient A has a history of anxiety and depression. On 17 August 2022, Patient A had a miscarriage. Between 5 and 9 October 2022, Patient A attended three consultations at the Clinic regarding abdominal pain. Patient A did not consult with the practitioner during this period.
On 13 October 2022, Patient A attended a telehealth consultation with the practitioner to obtain results of a blood test and CT scan of her abdomen and pelvis conducted on 11 October 2022 ("the CT scan").
On 14 October 2022, Patient A attended an in-person consultation at the Clinic with the practitioner for an abdominal examination."
*Rest of the document can be viewed at: (https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/1982a02feb42589c221ee177)
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
