SA doctor banned over assaults on patients

A South Australian doctor has been banned from practising for 13 years for sexually assaulting female patients for more than 15 years.

The South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday heard Dr Mario Athinodorou, 53, breached his professional boundaries while treating 10 women between 1997 and 2012.

Dr Athinodorou had his registration cancelled and has been banned from providing some types of health services to female patients for 13 years.

The tribunal's presiding member Magistrate Elizabeth Sheppard said Dr Athinodorou had shown an "alarming lack of insight into his conduct and the effect his conduct has had on his young female patients".

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency chief Martin Fletcher said patients trusted their health practitioners and behaviour like Dr Athinodorou's was "totally unacceptable".

"We hope the decision provides some closure for the women who have suffered from his actions," he said in a statement on Wednesday.

Medical Board of Australia chair Anne Tonkin thanked the women who raised their concerns with the board and said their courage helped keep other patients safe.