The South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) has struck a South African-born doctor, Indren Moodley, off the medical register after finding him guilty of having a sexual relationship with a 24-year-old patient who suffered from mental illness and alcoholism.
Moodley, 55, who had worked as a GP in Australia for 29 years, also dangerously prescribed high-risk medication.
SACAT banned him from practising medicine for four years.
Complaint and Suspension
The Medical Board of Australia suspended Moodley’s licence in October 2021 following a patient complaint.
Authorities alleged that he groomed, seduced, and supplied alcohol to her before having sex.
The woman had been his patient since 2018 and had consulted him 11 times in August and September 2021 for multiple conditions, including PTSD, depression, borderline personality disorder, and alcoholism.
Doctor’s Breach of Trust and Grooming
Between 1 and 12 September 2021, Moodley exchanged 909 messages with the patient, many of them sexual or personal.
He commented on her appearance, discussed his failing marriage, spoke about his own suicidal thoughts, and invited her to his home.
On 8 September 2021, he invited her to his apartment, gave her alcohol despite treating her addiction, and then had sex with her. He urged her to keep the relationship secret.
Patient’s Testimony
The victim said the relationship left her traumatised:
“I still have nightmares about it. I drink more to sleep. I will only see women doctors now. I feel used and manipulated by someone who knew all my illnesses.”
She added that her trust in men and medical professionals had been severely damaged.
In a written report provided to AHPRA, Professor Peta-Ann Teague, an expert in evaluating medical records and assessing practitioner performance, said the patient was significantly mentally unwell and Moodley was fully aware of this.
“His conduct was seriously unethical, predatory, and cruel. He abused the power imbalance between them in a calculated campaign to groom her.”
Tribunal’s Ruling on Doctor
SACAT found that the period of disqualification would be four years.
“This will be an aggregate period of over seven years, inclusive of the period of suspension. We consider that a strong and clear message should be sent to the respondent, to other practitioners and to the public that the respondent’s disgraceful conduct, his callous attitude to the patient’s well-being, his inadequate care and dangerous prescribing are to be condemned and that serious disciplinary consequences will be visited on any practitioner who engages in similar conduct.”
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