He was also found to be improperly prescribing medications to both himself and his partner. 

General surgeon Dr Gregory Robinson was working at Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital when the incidents occurred, between 2010 and 2015.

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal considered each report of misconduct on February 26, 2018 and found Dr Robinson had acted inappropriately in the treatment of each patient.

One of the patients was just 10 years old when he was admitted under Dr Robinson with complaints of abdominal pain on December 10, 2013. 

Dr Robinson failed to examine or assess the boy until the morning of December 13 and “inappropriately relied on a first-year surgical trainee and resident to examine the patient in his absence”.

On another occasion in November 2010, another patient was on the operating table, anaesthetised and intubated, ready for Dr Robinson to repair their left inguinal hernia when he left the patient without allowing the operation to proceed for some time. 

Dr Robinson then threatened to stop operating on the patient, who was still on the operating table, until another one of his patients was admitted to hospital.

The most recent incident of misconduct, in February 2015, relates to a patient admitted under Dr Robinson with symptoms of vomiting and suspicion of an incarcerated abdominal wall hernia.

Dr Robinson performed a laparotomy and bowel resection on the patient later the same day but delayed his review of the patient and inappropriately conducted major surgery the patient, contrary to his agreement with the anaesthetist to limit the surgery, given the patient’s clinical condition.

The Tribunal also found that Dr Robinson’s record keeping for two patients did not meet the required standard.

He voluntarily surrendered his practising license in 2015 after the incidents involving the patients and told the tribunal he needed time to heal.

Dr Robinson was on the New South Wales Medical Council and Board's impairment program from 2002 because of an opioid self-administration dependence he had since 2000. This month, the Tribunal also decided that Dr Robinson had improperly prescribed medications to both himself and his partner.

The Tribunal found Dr Robinson was impaired because of an obsessive compulsive disorder and disqualified him from practicing for two years, based on the “serious nature of the misconduct”. 

“The uncertainty about whether [Dr Robinson] does possess meaningful insight into his misconduct, the fact that he has not yet commenced undertaking therapy and until very recently has resisted formal therapy with a psychiatrist,” the Tribunal finding states.