Victoria
Victorian watchdog warns of Melbourne woman posing as doctor
A Melbourne woman has allegedly charged patients $20,000 for unapproved medical treatments while falsely posing as a registered doctor.
The Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner has issued an urgent public warning regarding a Melbourne woman who allegedly posed as a medical practitioner and charged patients thousands of dollars for unapproved therapies.
According to a wire report, the state watchdog took the step of issuing the public alert after receiving serious allegations about the woman's conduct in the metropolitan area. She is alleged to have charged at least one client up to $20,000 for medical treatments that have not been approved by Australian health regulators.
At this stage, the watchdog has not publicly released the identity of the woman, and the exact nature of the unapproved therapies she offered remains unconfirmed. It is also not yet known how many patients may have undergone treatments with her, or how long she had been operating in the Melbourne area before the complaints were raised.
Under Australian law, only practitioners registered with the National Board or the Medical Board of Australia are permitted to practice medicine or refer to themselves as medical doctors. The Health Complaints Commissioner has the power to issue these public warnings and temporary or permanent prohibition orders to protect the community from unregistered providers who pose a risk to public health and safety.
Unapproved medical treatments can carry significant physical and financial risks, particularly when administered by individuals without formal qualifications or regulatory oversight. Victorian residents are being reminded to verify the registration status of any healthcare professional online through official channels before undergoing any expensive or complex procedures.
Observers will watch to see if the watchdog refers the matter to state police for potential criminal prosecution.
This report draws on original reporting by Wire report.
Dedicated to a Stronger Victoria.
A message from the editor, August
Every story here is free to read. Only readers keep it that way.
We take no government money, run no paywall, and answer to nobody in Spring Street. That independence is paid for by a small number of readers, not the many who benefit from it. If just one in a hundred of today's readers gave $8 a month, our Victorian politics coverage would be funded for the year.
- Funds reporting, not shareholders
- Cancel in one click, anytime
- Supporter badge and reply access
Prefer a one-off? Send a tip. It takes about twenty seconds.