NSW pharmacist banned
November 4, 2015
Newcastle pharmacist
Nicholas Orr has been prosecuted
by the Health Care Complaints
Commission, over allegations that
he “dishonestly misappropriated
drugs including OxyContin and
Endone from the pharmacy”.
According to the case heard by
the NSW Civil and Administrative
Tribunal, Orr also made false
and incorrect entries in the drug
register of a pharmacy where he
was employed in Charlestown.
41-year-old Orr failed to
participate at the hearing.
Discrepancies in the S8 Drug
Register were noted by his
employer in August of 2013 and
advised to the Pharmacy Council of
New South Wales.
In September 2013, after further
investigations, and having been
advised by Orr’s psychiatrist that
he was an inpatient in a private
hospital, the Council imposed
conditions on his registration as a
pharmacist including that he was
not to practice.
In November of 2013, Orr was
admitted to hospital for removal of
a benign brain tumour diagnosed
some years previously, and
subsequently again admitted to
hospital for mental health reasons,
the report read.
Taking into account the
defendant’s non-participation in
the hearing and failure to respond
to any requests, the Tribunal ruled
that he may not apply to register
until at least three years from the
date of the order.
The Tribunal further said that
the long standing nature of Orr’s
addiction, and the absence of
evidence concerning his recovery,
means that both he and the public
would be placed at substantial risk
of harm if he were to undertake
any form of health practice
that involved access to opiates,
benzodiazepines, or even codeine.
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