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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-03-04 Daily Xml
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McGavigan, Prof. A.D.

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:12): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Health and Wellbeing a question about criminal charges against an Adelaide cardiologist.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: Yesterday, we learned that Andrew Douglas McGavigan, an Adelaide cardiologist, has pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing child abuse material. According to media reports, he was first arrested on 7 December for offences that occurred between September and December of last year. My question to the minister is: when did the government and SA Health first find out about the charges against Mr McGavigan and when was his employment with Flinders Medical Centre terminated?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:13): If the house might bear with me, I will try to glean from the information provided to me the information the honourable member seeks. I am advised that on 7 December 2020, the Australian Federal Police executed a search warrant and charged a senior clinician from the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network with the criminal offence of possessing or controlling child abuse material and accessing child abuse material.

The individual is a senior cardiologist at Flinders Medical Centre, employed since 2007 at SALHN and working across Mount Gambier, Flinders Private Hospital and credentialled to work at the Women's and Children's Hospital, Mount Gambier hospital, Darwin and Berri.

I am advised that on 11 December 2020, the Australian Federal Police notified the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and Risk, Assurance and Integrity Services, SA Health. I will take on notice whether or not there was any prior notification, but I take it from that advice that that was the first time SA Health was aware of the matter.

I think the honourable member's other question was regarding what action has been taken since then. His primary place of employment is the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, so I will respond in relation to that. SALHN has suspended employment and credentialing of the employee. The honourable member seeks to know the specific date. I don't think I am offered that in the brief, so I will certainly undertake to take that on notice.

We were advised on 11 December, and I can advise that on 4 January 2021 the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency suspended the registration of the person. As I indicated earlier, the Women's and Children's Hospital had given credentialing to the clinician, on 5 January 2021 amended the SA Health credentialing database to reflect the fact that the clinician is not currently credentialed at the Women's and Children's Hospital.

The latest advice I have is that the employee has been on leave since notification of the breach of the code of conduct.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Bonaros has a supplementary.

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