Dr SS v Health Care Complaints Commission and Anor [2002] NSWCA 391

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Dr SS v Health Care Complaints Commission and Anor [2002] NSWCA 391 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40410/02 HEARING DATE(S) : 6 November 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 9 December 2002

Dr SS (Claimant) PARTIES : Health Care Complaints Commision (First Opponent) Medical Tribunal New South Wales (Second Opponent) JUDGMENT OF : Sheller JA at 1; Stein JA at 2; Heydon JA at 36

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Medical Tribunal New South Wales LOWER COURT MT 40020/01 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Knight DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

P Byrne SC/E H Pike (Claimant) COUNSEL : T J Golding (First Opponent) Submitting Appearance (Second Opponent) SOLICITORS : David Brown (Claimant) Health Care Complaints Commission (First and Second Opponents) CATCHWORDS : MEDICAL TRIBUNAL OF NSW - disciplinary proceedings - permanent stay of complaint relating to specific patient - amendment of complaint to include additional patient - period of time elapsed between alleged conduct and making complaint - delay of patient in lodging complaint with Health Care Complaints Commission - destruction of practitioner's records - whether claimant actually prejudiced - whether impossible for claimant to have a fair trial - ND LEGISLATION CITED : Medical Practice Act 1992 Barton v The Queen (1980) 147 CLR 75 Crampton v The Queen (2000) 206 CLR 161 Davis v Medical Board of ACT, Unreported, 27 June 1994 G v Medical Board of the ACT, Unreported, Supreme Court of ACT, 13 May 1994 Gill v Walton (1991) 25 NSWLR 190 CASES CITED: Herron v McGregor (1986) 6 NSWLR 246 Jago v District Court of NSW (1989) 168 CLR 23 Longman v The Queen (1989) 168 CLR 79 Re Davis (1995) 81 A Crim R 156 R v Littler (2001) 120 A Crim R 512 Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 378 DECISION : Amended Summons dismissed with costs.