A CENTRAL Coast medical facility boasted two years ago about the number of Dubbo patients it had attracted via the services of a doctor who was this week suspended by the Western NSW Local Health District.
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Cardiologist Dr Roger Chatoor, who serviced the Gosford Heart Centre, was suspended from Dubbo Hospital following an investigation into his behaviour and clinical processes.
NSW Shadow Health Minister Walt Secord has demanded the health minister organise an immediate investigation into allegations the doctor was not on duty while on call, that he failed to supervise junior doctors and admitted (patients) by telephone while hundreds of kilometres away from Dubbo.
Concerns from clinicians and the hospital's director of medical services "around the doctor's behaviour with his peers and involvement in the on-call roster, as well as some clinical concerns" prompted the investigation, according to Dubbo Hospital chief executive Scott McLachlan.
In September 2012, a statement released by private hospital network operator Healthe Care said Gosford Private Hospital's cardiac unit had boosted access to cardiac services since its opening three months earlier.
"The service now attracts regional patients from Dubbo to provide much-needed private cardiac services," the statement read.
"Dr Roger Chatoor, based in Dubbo, performs his procedures at Gosford Heart Centre.
"August saw 15 patients travel from Dubbo and last week the 500th patient through the centre was from Dubbo."
The aim was to become the centre of heart care on the Central Coast while providing a service for regional areas such as Dubbo as an alternative to going to Sydney, the CEO of Gosford Private Hospital, Sue Rigney, said at the time.
In addition to Dubbo Hospital and Gosford Private Hospital, Dr Chatoor operates from Dubbo Private Hospital, another Healthe Care facility.
He has also provided outreach services for Bourke Aboriginal Health Service.
Healthe Care and the Bourke Aboriginal Health Service were contacted for comment yesterday but did not respond by the time of going to press.
