Section 122 Health Services Act: Independent inquiry relating to Dr Emil Gayed

On 21 June 2018, the Secretary of NSW Health, Ms Elizabeth Koff, under Section 122 of the Health Services Act has appointed Gail Furness SC to conduct the inquiry into the appointments and management of complaints by local health districts about Dr Emil Gayed. Ms Furness was assisted in the inquiry by Dr Greg Jenkins, a specialist obstetrician and gynecologist.

A Report on the outcome of the review was provided to the Secretary.

Since receiving the report, NSW Health has applied a range of changes based on the three key recommendations.

• A review of governance processes to ensure incident reports are monitored at the district level. A review of the incident management reporting system to improve system oversight is currently underway across the NSW Health network
• Arrangements be in place with VMOs who provide care for their patients using public hospitals, to provide sufficient information to ensure that their care is appropriate. NSW Health will work with key stakeholders to put appropriate processes in place and
• Ensure adequate oversight of practitioners. All LHDs have been advised of the requirement that where services are reliant on a sole medical practitioner or a small specialist team that these services are subject to external oversight from practitioners in other parts of the district, particularly in regional, rural and remote areas.