Two former heads of the NSW healthcare watchdog have been summoned to appear before the child sexual abuse royal commission.
Justice Peter McClellan signed the summonses after three days of hearing how the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission failed to act swiftly on complaints that a Sydney GP had molested young boys.
The former HCCC commissioners are expected to give evidence on why it took 20 years to deregister John Rolleston even though there were numerous complaints about him in the 1990s.
Rolleston was not struck off until 2013, two years after he was jailed for historical child sexual abuse.
He was found guilty on 30 counts of molesting teenage boys in the 70s and sentenced to four years’ jail.
He is now on parole and is ill. Theoretically Rolleston, now 79, can reapply to re-register in 2017.
The former HCCC commissioners are likely to be asked why doctors convicted of serious criminal offences are not banned for life.
The new witnesses will extend the time set for this hearing but McClellan said it was important they be heard to explain “the actions or lack on action” in this case.
On Friday the HCCC commissioner, Kieran Pehm, apologised profusely to abuse victims who were badly treated by the agency, which took years to investigate complaints.
“It’s bad. It’s indefensible,” he said.
One of Rolleston’s victims, AWA, now a senior doctor, said in evidence it was disturbing that Rolleston was allowed to consult with patients after multiple complaints.
AWA was molested by Rolleston when he was 15 and again when he was over 18.
Rolleston was once deregistered over medifraud but within months got his licence back. On another occasion it was decided he should be chaperoned when he saw patients.
AWA told McClellan a life ban should be applied in cases such as Rolleston’s and the title of doctor withdrawn. It was outrageous Rolleston could apply to reregister.
The commission will resume on Monday.