Richard Stubbs
A University of Otago senior researcher will keep his
job, despite a professional misconduct finding against him.
Prof Richard Stubbs has a part-time role heading the
university's Wakefield biomedical research unit at the
Wellington campus and is trying to find a drug to cure type 2
diabetes.
He is also a specialist surgeon at the private Wakefield
Hospital in Wellington, treating liver cancer and obesity.
Last week, the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal
found him guilty of professional misconduct over the care he
provided to a patient who died in February 2006 after an
operation for gastric bypass surgery.
The patient, known as Mr N, was under anaesthetic for the
surgery when tests showed abnormal liver function.
Instead of waking the patient to inform him of increased risk
of death or complications as a result of the surgery, Prof
Stubbs continued with the surgery.
He was censured, fined $20,000, ordered to undertake a
mentoring programme for 18 months and have a practice audit,
and ordered to pay almost $90,000 in costs.
Asked on Monday if the ruling would lead to Prof Stubbs'
employment with the university being terminated, health
sciences pro-vice-chancellor Prof Don Roberton said it would
not.
"Prof Stubbs has a part-time research association with the
university but no clinical practitioner role ... His research
work with this university continues," he said in a statement.
For privacy reasons, the university was unable to discuss
specific employment details of individual staff, he said.
Contacted for comment, Prof Stubbs said in a statement he
sincerely believed he was acting in Mr N's best interests
when he continued with the surgery, and had apologised to his
family for taking a decision which "in this day and age, is
considered was not mine to take".
He had kept the university informed over the complaint and
the tribunal proceedings.
"Neither they, nor I, hold the view that the decision against
me compromises my ability to function in my current academic
position with the university."
allison.rudd@odt.co.nz
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