Patients of disgraced gynaecologist to get free health reviews
Hundreds of former patients of disgraced gynecologist Simon Gordon will benefit from free medical examinations by experts as part of a $9.45 million funding package from the Victorian and federal governments.
announcement follows the descriptions in this imprint In February it was reported that an Epworth doctor was being investigated by the health practitioner watchdog after being accused of performing unnecessary endometriosis surgeries. Gordon denies the accusations.
Some of these surgeries allegedly involved removing women’s ovaries and fallopian tubes even though their medical scans showed no signs of endometriosis.
Federal Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Rebecca White joined Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas on Thursday to announce support measures aimed at addressing some of the ongoing trauma and pain experienced by Gordon’s former patients.
“It’s very sad and devastating that something like this happened in the first place,” White said.
“But our hope and the work we do is about making sure no more women suffer this way.”
The bulk of the funding ($7.45 million from the Commonwealth) will establish six “care navigators” across Victoria’s primary care networks.
They will help patients navigate the complexities of follow-up care and specialist reviews.
A $2 million investment from the Allan government will fund gynecological examinations of Gordon’s former patients at women’s health clinics at Barwon Health, Monash Health, Eastern Health, Western Health and the Royal Women’s Hospital.
A triage nurse will help patients access and compile their medical records and interpret screening and test results.
From mid-April, patients will be able to access referrals for appointments through the Women’s Health Victoria endometriosis concerns phoneline, which was established by the state government in February.
More than 100 women have contacted the hotline so far.
“It’s clear that our system is failing these women, and it’s heartbreaking,” Thomas said.
“The way we can respect their experience is to do everything we can to make changes and make them as quickly as possible.”
Sarah Hayden first saw Gordon in 2019, hoping to resolve nagging pain in her pelvis.
The mother of five had a long history of endometriosis and had heard from other endometriosis patients that Gordon was the best surgeon in Melbourne.
But after they operated on him at Angliss Hospital, a public health service run by Eastern Health, in June 2019, Hayden was in more pain than ever.
A nurse in the recovery room told Hayden that her pain was from extensive surgery in which Gordon, then 45, removed her left ovary and fallopian tube.
“I live with constant daily pain and have bladder issues,” she said.
Following media reports that Gordon was accused of performing unnecessary endometriosis surgeries, Hayden requested the surgeon’s medical records.
According to Hayden, the pathology report stated that there was no evidence of endometriosis and that her ovaries were healthy.
The experience left Hayden, the former mayor of the Golden Plains Shire, author and equine therapist, with little confidence in the healthcare system.
He hopes the announcement from the state and federal governments will provide prompt, independent health advice to Gordon’s former patients. Young patients urgently need help assessing their fertility, he said.
“We were so traumatized by the healthcare system,” Hayden said. “At least they can offer us fast and free support. It’s not too much to ask for someone to remove your organs unnecessarily.”
Hayden is now among hundreds of women seeking compensation from Gordon for the role he allegedly played in their ongoing pain and suffering.
Arnold Thomas and Becker’s lawyers received more than 500 inquiries from Gordon’s former patients, while Maurice Blackburn received nearly 400 inquiries.
Gordon told the imprint on Thursday that he would have no further comment, citing previous statements in which he denied the allegations against him.
He has previously said that he has always acted ethically and responsibly and only performs surgery when it is in the patient’s best interest.
“My concern was to try to alleviate the pain and restore quality of life for female patients who were once neglected and rejected,” she said.
Commonwealth funding will also be used to update the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RANZCOG) guidelines on how to diagnose and treat pelvic pain, including endometriosis. The college will also receive funding to provide training to doctors on how to treat the complex condition.
RANZCOG president Dr. Nisha Khot said Women’s Health Clinics are already in high demand and the additional funding will allow them to employ additional staff to ensure Gordon’s former patients are seen in a timely manner.
Earlier this week Thomas hosted a roundtable with senior leaders from medical schools, unions, chief medical officers and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency to explore how to overcome the culture of silence in the medical profession.
Epworth appointed an expert panel to review the management of the practice following the allegations against Gordon.
The review will focus on gynecological services and examine how the hospital responds to concerns raised by patients and staff, how doctors are empowered and how clinical practice is monitored.
An Epworth HealthCare spokesperson said the announcement complements the support services currently offered to Gordon patients, including free access to medical records and discussion of options for accessing a second opinion.
