Doctor suspended for inappropriate prescribing

29 Aug 2023

A Western Australian doctor has been suspended for eight months and will return to the register with conditions after a finding of professional misconduct for inappropriate prescribing, failing to make adequate clinical records and failing to adequately assess or formulate management plans for 14 patients. 

This misconduct of Dr Jagdev Singh Sarwan Singh occurred between 18 January 2014 to about 16 October 2019 at two medical centres in WA.

The Medical Board of Australia referred Dr Singh to the WA State Administrative Tribunal.

On 22 March 2023, Dr Singh accepted the Board’s allegations, that between around 18 January 2014 and 16 October 2019 he had:

• inappropriately prescribed medications to 14 patients during the consultations      
• failed to make any or any adequate clinical note of his consultations with 14 patients, and
• inadequately assessed, and inadequately formulated and implemented suitable management plans for 14 patients.

The tribunal made the following orders: 

• the practitioner’s conduct constitutes professional misconduct
• the practitioner is reprimanded      
• the practitioner is suspended for a period of 8 months commencing on 22 July 2023
• after the period of suspension the practitioner’s registration is subject to mentoring and audit conditions outlined in Annexure C to the orders made, and
• the practitioner is to pay the Board’s costs which was agreed. 

The tribunal’s decision was published on 4 May 2023 on eCourts.