A NSW doctor whose severe depression led to "clinical catastrophe" breached a ban by carrying out obstetric procedures, a judge has been told.
When the now former doctor, who cannot be named for legal reasons, successfully applied for a job at a NSW country hospital he did not disclose the ban.
In the NSW District Court today, he pleaded guilty to obtaining a financial advantage by deception.
According to an agreed statement of facts, he was found guilty in 1997 of unsatisfactory professional conduct after complaints by nine former patients.
A NSW Medical Board committee then banned him from practising clinical obstetrics and imposed conditions on him practising gynaecology.
The board concluded that for the benefit of him, his family and his patients, "he should not be exposed to the hazards and stressors involved in the remorselessly inevitable occurrence of complicated obstetric practice".
But years later he obtained a job at a country hospital, saying he had a major depressive illness and conditions had been placed on his medical registration, but failing to reveal the ban.
One of his referees for the job said the doctor "was very well liked but had suffered severe depression and this had led to clinical catastrophe".
Another said the last he had heard of the doctor was that he was not meant to do obstetrics.
"In his new position the offender engaged in the treatment of patients that fell within the field of obstetrics and gynaecology," the facts said.
The doctor told the board of his new job but said he would not be doing obstetrics.
But during his appointment, he did such work including treating 36 pregnant patients and assisting in some caesarean sections.
During his employment his total remuneration was more than $229,000.
When the NSW Medical Board later sought clarification of his job, he stated, "I have no intention of practising obstetrics again", but added that he was fully aware of his responsibilities as a doctor in emergency situations.
On the evening of the day he wrote the letter, he went on to perform a caesarian section, the facts said.
He will be sentenced at a later date.
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