An Australian doctor has had his medical registration suspended after practicing in an unethical and unprofessional manner in the surgery theatre. Dr Les Blackstock, who works at Enhance Clinic in western Sydney, has allegedly woken up his patients mid-surgery, to ask for their opinions. Patients were also given arithmetical questions to answer in the middle of surgeries. Melanie – whose real name has been withheld – claims that Dr Les Blackstock kept her awake during the surgery, asking her to check his progress halfway through. She said the experience of going under the knife at Enhance Clinic left her with devastating effects, which included the rupturing of her implants and contraction of a life-threatening staph infection. Detailing her ordeal, Melanie said, “He opened my chest up, he put sample implants into my chest, and he sat me up and gave me a mirror and asked me whether or not I was fine with the size”. His colleagues also claimed that he will call them to the surgery room to ask for advice. These claims were enough evidence to have his medical license suspended by the NSW Medical Council. The medical council realised that Dr Les Blackstock’s ludicrous behaviour had to be stopped. Unlicensed doctor at unlicensed clinic Dr Blackstock thinks he is legally allowed to perform plastic surgery, including breast augmentation surgeries.Photo credit: 9NEWS/Daily Mail The case has also been referred to the Health Complaints Commission. Amidst all these allegations, it has also been discovered that NSW Health has ordered Enhance Clinic to cease its augmentations procedures as it is unlicensed; a request that the clinic chose to ignore. It was reported that the clinic allowed Dr Blackstock to carry on these cosmetic surgery procedures despite not being a qualified surgeon. He did not have any training as a plastic surgeon and was not even registered as a surgeon. On his part, Dr Blackstock believes he did no wrong, denying any wrongdoing. According to him, he thinks he is legally allowed to perform plastic surgery, including breast augmentation surgeries. In defending his actions, Dr Blackstock said that he has had a 96.5% safety record among his customers and that most of them were satisfied with his work. He also said that he stuck to the legal rules by only working on women, who did not have adequate-sized breasts. No control over GPs claiming to be cosmetic surgeons NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said earlier this month regulations were so lax that almost any medical practitioner could call themselves a cosmetic surgeon. Photo credit: 9NEWS/Daily Mail The case is one of many that highlights the lax regulations and rules surrounding cosmetic surgery in NSW. The NSW Health Minister, Brad Hazzard, urged for the tightening of such regulations as medical practitioners are freely calling themselves cosmetic surgeons. Hazzard said that this matter should be taken to the federal government and state and territory ministers for review. “I think some of them are definitely putting other people’s lives at risk,” he added. Enhance Clinic is not apologetic over what has happened. A statement on their website seems to indicate that the clinic wholly supports Dr Blackstock and is sorry that he has had to face an attack like this both personally and professionally. The statement reads that he has not been well since these public attacks on him. In the same statement, the clinic urged its patients to see their general practitioner or get to the local hospital if they are not feeling well. Source
