Cocaine-addicted surgeon continued operating despite being linked to two deaths

A Sydney private hospital allowed a cocaine-addicted neurosurgeon to continue performing delicate operations on patients, despite him having been banned from a nearby public hospital.

In 2009, Nepean public hospital sent a letter to Nepean Private Hospital warning management about surgeon Suresh Nair.

In the letter, the hospital warned that by allowing Nair to operate there it was potentially "exposing the patients to a risk about which they are not aware".

The Malaysian born doctor had been on the impaired doctors program since 2004 after admitting to a problem with cocaine.

On the program, Nair was regularly submitted to drug tests from the NSW Medical Board (now Medical Council).

But testing ended at the end of 2008 and when it did, Nair's life soon began spiralling out of control.

Nepean Public Hospital was aware Nair was again using cocaine, and withdrew his clinical privileges.

But he was cleared by the NSW Medical Board to work under conditions and on that basis continued to operate at the private hospital next door.

Despite the letter warning Nepean private hospital about allowing Nair to operate, Nepean public failed to tell the Board police made a formal visit to the hospital concerned about the death of a sex worker in St Vincents Hospital after a drug overdose at Nair's home and his links to cocaine.

Nair would eventually be charged in connection with the deaths of two sex workers – both who overdosed on cocaine while with the surgeon.

It wasn't until his arrest that his patients learnt to truth about their doctor.

Patient Carla Downes was operated on three times by Nair.

It was not until last month that she found out what happened in her second operation when Nair performed at the wrong level in her spine.

"My whole life has changed. I crawl up the stairs because I can't just walk up them one at a time. I can't remember not being in pain. I've been in pain for seven years," Ms Downes told Four Corners. 

"I'd ask, why did he do it? He had a duty of care to his patients."

The neurosurgeon never obtained Australian citizenship, and on the eve of his parole date, July 31, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison cancelled his visa.

He is expected to be deported to the country of his birth, Malaysia.

Source: Fairfax, ABC