Doctor struck off
December 11, 2012
PSYCHOLOGIST Ross Colquhoun
has been deregistered by the
Psychologists Tribunal NSW for
treating heroin addicts with a rapid
opioid detoxification program,
which resulted in the death of one
of his patients.
Colquhoun ran an addiction clinic
in Sydney’s Ultimo, which utilised a
controversial program that
implemented treatment of opiate
dependent people using naltrexone
both for detoxification using a rapid
induction method and for
maintenance of abstinence using
oral and implant naltrexone.
At present naltrexone is banned
from the NSW public health system
due to concerns over the drug’s
safety profile.
The case against Colquhoun
centered around the treatment of
two patients in 2007 and 2008, the
first of which was admitted to
intensive care following treatment
at the clinic, and the second patient
who died two weeks after
treatment.
Colquhoun assessed both
patients as suitable to undergo
rapid detox.
According to the Tribunal’s
findings Colquhoun failed to:
adequately assess the patients;
take into account contraindications
for the treatment; adequately
explain the treatment, including
risks, to the patients; adequately
explain alternative options; and
consult other practitioners involved
in the patients’ care.
“The Tribunal found that Mr
Colquhoun’s handling of these
patients amounted to professional
misconduct as a psychologist and
that he was not a suitable person
for registration in the profession,”
the Tribunal said.
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