Tribunal reprimands, disqualifies nurse from registration

20 Jun 2016

A former nurse reprimanded and disqualified from reapplying for registration for two years.

A tribunal has reprimanded a former nurse and disqualified her from reapplying for registration for two years for her involvement in administering unproven treatments to cancer patients in WA and practising while not registered.

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia referred Mrs Simone Phasey to the State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia after a referral from the state coroner.

The Board alleged that Mrs Phasey practised as a nurse while unregistered and had been actively involved in the administration of an alternative, unproven medical treatment to cancer patients.

Mrs Phasey admitted to professional misconduct for:

• acting on the instructions of an unregistered overseas doctor, Helfried Sartori
• participating in and facilitating the provision of treatment to patients that was unproven, experimental and involved substances known to have toxicity in humans, with adverse and potentially fatal consequences
• failing to consult a specialist or her professional body about the legality, safety and appropriateness of providing the treatment
• accepting Dr Sartori’s advice that the treatment did not have any risks and accepted its adverse side effects as evidence it was effective
• acting on instructions that were not consistent with acceptable medical standards of treatment and care in Australia
• failing to use her own clinical skill and judgment when administering the treatment
• providing nursing services to the patients in Western Australia despite not being registered there and
• providing nursing services to the patients in South Australia despite not being registered there.

The Board and Mrs Phasey provided an agreed statement of facts to the tribunal. On 19 May 2015, the Tribunal reprimanded Mrs Phasey, disqualified her from applying for registration as a registered health practitioner for two years from 19 May 2015 and ordered her to contribute to the Board’s legal costs.

These decision will be available shortly on Austlii and the WA SAT.