The regulator has issued its second-ever public warning amid fears Bill Tolis is still treating patients despite a sweeping prohibition order.
A banned Australian medical practitioner is back on AHPRA’s radar, prompting the regulator to issue a rare public warning amid fears he is still treating patients despite being prohibited from providing any health service.
In 2022, the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal found Bill Tolis had “engaged in professional misconduct and ordered that his registration be cancelled”, AHPRA said in a statement today.
This followed an investigation by AHPRA and the Medical Board of Australia.
The tribunal also ordered Tolis be disqualified from applying for registration for seven years and prohibited from providing any health services, including services as a naturopath, for seven years.
Tolis failed in an attempt to have the prohibition order lifted. The order was upheld on appeal by the Supreme Court of South Australia in 2023 and remains in effect until 9 August 2029.
Naturopaths are not part of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme but the ban extends to the provision of any health services, including naturopath services.
AHPRA was given the power to publicly name practitioners two years ago but has only used it once before, in June this year, in an unrelated matter.
According to today’s statement, AHPRA said Tolis’ conduct was under investigation and that he “may pose a serious risk to the public”. AHPRA believes Tolis may be continuing to provide health services, including naturopath services, and is investigating his activities since 9 August 2022.
“This is only the second public statement issued under legislation that allows AHPRA to publicly name an individual where it is deemed necessary to protect public health or safety,” the regulator said.
“AHPRA is working with other agencies to investigate Tolis and has asked anyone with information to contact its Criminal Offences Unit.”
Strict confidentiality obligations in the National Law prohibit AHPRA from commenting on the reasons for their move to publicly named Tolis.
Related
AHPRA CEO Justin Untersteiner said the decision to issue a public statement was not taken lightly.
“We take our responsibility to protect the public very seriously and would not be doing this if we did not believe it was necessary based on the evidence before us,” he said.
“The public has a right to expect regulated health services to be delivered by safe and qualified registered health practitioners. When that doesn’t happen, there is a very real risk of harm.
“We set the highest safety and quality standards for the 16 professions we regulate. Most registered practitioners do the right thing by their patients and help us uphold these standards.
“However, for those who don’t, we will not hesitate to take action. For the most serious matters, we will refer them to a tribunal which has the power to cancel a practitioner’s registration.”
Providing health services in contravention of a prohibition order is a criminal offence under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, carrying penalties per offence of up to $60,000, three years’ imprisonment, or both.