A Melbourne doctor with a suspected history of drug use was caught in possession of methamphetamine and ketamine before relocating to Canada, where he was permitted to continue practising as a GP.
Stewart Mawdsley appeared through a representative at the Victoria Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Thursday, facing allegations of professional misconduct stemming from criminal offences and an application seeking to disqualify him from medical practice.
Police charged Mawdsley with a range of offences in August and September 2022, including possession of methamphetamine and ketamine, speeding and driving without a licence.
He pleaded guilty to every charge and was fined $1,000 without a conviction being recorded.
But Mawdsley, who was working as a GP in Melbourne’s west when he was arrested, did not notify the Medical Board of Australia about the matters.
Anastasia Tyshing, counsel for the board, told the tribunal that registered medical practitioners are required to advise the board of “that relevant event within seven days”.
“The conduct involved criminal offending, driving whilst disqualified, driving at excessive speed and possession of illicit drugs,” Ms Tyshing said.
“This is objectively serious conduct for any member of the community let alone a registered health practitioner.”
Disgraced doctor Stewart Mawdsley was found to have committed professional misconduct after being caught with drugs. (Stock image)
Ms Tyshing said the Medical Board of Australia learned of the criminal conduct only after Victoria Police notified it “some months after”.
Mawdsley’s barrister Philip Cadman said his client agreed with the board’s submissions regarding his drug possession and driving offences.
Ms Tyshing said Mawdsley gained his medical registration in May 2016 but in March 2023 the board ‘took immediate action’ once informed of the offences, and imposed conditions on the disgraced doc.
These conditions included urine and hair drug screening and ‘attendance with treating practitioners’, and remained in place for three months while Mawdsley was allowed to keep working as a GP, the tribunal heard.
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In a shock twist, the tribunal heard Mawdsley left Australia for Canada in June 2023 where he was allowed to practise as a GP.
The tribunal heard the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia in October 2023 had permitted Mawdsley’s registration.
Mawdsley pleaded guilty to possessing meth. (Stock image)
However, according to Mawdsley’s submission to the tribunal, his status changed to ‘temporarily inactive’ in August this year following a ‘single use relapse’ in July, but the Medical Board of Australia is unaware of the details of this incident.
Ms Tyshing, who called for the GP to be reprimanded, disqualifying him from applying for medical registration in Australia for three years, said Mawdsley had a ‘regulatory history’ with the board between 2016 and 2021.
The tribunal heard Mawdsley was the ‘subject of a number of notifications’ including a relevant incident where an ‘unexplained presence’ of Valium was found in his desk at his clinic in 2016.
There was also missing medication from the clinic’s stores, suspected ‘intentional dilution’ of a urine sample, while a hair sample taken during the board’s 2016 investigation tested positive for meth.
The board served Mawdsley with drug screening conditions for 12 months starting in December 2017.
Ms Tyshing urged the tribunal to impose a disqualification as the board feared a doctor facing ‘serious disciplinary proceedings’ could ‘avoid harsher consequences’ simply by surrendering their registrations and practising in another jurisdiction for a ‘short while’.
Mr Cadman said his client was ‘somewhat traumatised by these events’, and submitted there was ‘no paperwork’ involving the Canada drug use ‘beyond this recognition that he has volunteered that [admission]’.
Mr Cadman also submitted the 2016 hair meth sample came after Mawdsley had ‘sexual contact’ with a person who had ‘ingested drugs’.
The tribunal heard Mawdsley’s Canada clinic supported him and gave a reference which spoke of the ‘worth’ he brought.
The tribunal will deliver its decision at a later date.