Botched surgeries confirmed 1:04
4BC’s Patrick Condren talks to Central Queensland Health and Hospital Board chair Charles Ware about the botched surgery cases at Rockhampton Hospital. Courtesy: 4BC Mornings with Patrick Condren
- Courier Mail
- 06 May 2014
- News/QLD
A ROCKHAMPTON surgeon has filed a defamation damages claim against a hospital and health board chairman and the State Government to “vindicate” his reputation.
Urologist Antonio Vega Vega is seeking damages of $750,000 from Central Queensland Hospital and Health Board chairman Charles Ware, and the State.
Dr Vega Vega claims Mr Ware, a solicitor, defamed him in referring to a Rockhampton Hospital surgeon at a press conference and in a radio interview on May 6 last year.
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The claim states Mr Ware knew that Dr Vega Vega would be able to be identified by the media as the surgeon about whom he was talking.
As a result, he was exposed to ridicule and contempt, his reputation was injured and he suffered hurt and embarrassment, it is alleged in his Supreme Court claim.
Dr Vega Vega is claiming compensatory damages to vindicate his reputation, and for the distress and embarrassment caused by the alleged defamatory meanings of Mr Ware’s words.
Urologist Antonio Vega Vega has filed a defamation claim against a hospital, health board chairman and the state. Source: News Corp Australia
He alleges in 2012 there had been public statements that he was the first and only specialist urologist based in Rockhampton. The alleged defamatory statements falsely referred to a Rockhampton Base Hospital surgeon being so incompetent that he had removed the wrong kidney from a patient, the claim said.
They also conveyed the defamatory meaning that the surgeon was so incompetent he would never work at Rockhampton Base Hospital again, it is alleged.
Mr Ware declined to comment as he is yet to see the claim, filed in Rockhampton Supreme Court yesterday.
In June last year, a Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal judge found Dr Vega Vega did not pose a serious risk to patients.
The judge set aside a Medical Board of Australia suspension and registration conditions.
Dr Vega Vega is practising privately in Rockhampton, but has not returned to the public hospital system.
He is awaiting a judge’s decision on his application to have two Queensland Health commissioned reports into his care of four hospital patients quashed or declared invalid.