Indian born surgeon Jayant Patel, convicted of manslaughter by a court in Brisbane appears headed for more trouble as now his former patients have threatened to move a class action suit against him.
Sixty-year-old Patel, dubbed 'Dr Death' by media here is in jail awaiting the court's verdict handing him his sentence tomorrow.
Patel was found guilty of criminal negligence causing the deaths of three patients during his tenure as surgeon in Queensland Bundaberd Base Hospital between 2003 and 2005. He was also found guilty of causing grievous body harm to a fourth man.
Patel, has denied all charges and his legal team is preparing to launch an appeal against his conviction.
Now, Ian Fleming, a founder of patient support group of the Dr Patel's former patients, said talks were under way about a class action against the former surgeon and others.
Queensland State MP Rob Messenger said he has also held
discussions with a barrister about launching a class action by
patients.
"We're looking at the prospect of a group class action against a number of different entities, first and foremost will be Queensland Health, the medical board, and Patel himself," the member for Burnett said, Australian news agency AAP reported.
Fleming, one of the former patients said one of his own bowel operation was botched by Patel in 2003. He said hundreds of patients had been affected by Patel's actions and many were
supportive of a class action.
"Patel operated on over 1000 patients and many of those suffered as a result of his actions".
The Doctor who has also been described as 'Killer Surgeon' by the media spent last night in Brisbane jail and was transferred to a Correctional Centre in the Brisbane suburbs this morning.
The charge against the Doctor carries a maximum sentence
of life imprisonment in Queensland.
The fury over the Indian surgeon's alleged botched surgeries continued to mount with local MPs demanding that the
government's role in the scandal be scrutinised to find out
why such lapses were allowed to carry on for years.
"This case didn't only expose the worst forms of medical
malpractice, it also exposed the worst forms of government
malpractice," opposition leader John-Paul Langbroek said.
The former patients of Patel have welcomed his conviction
saying they were glad that the 'Killer Surgeon' was being brought to book as it would save precious lives elsewhere.
