They called him ‘Doctor Death’: a surgeon charged with saving lives, but accused of taking them instead. Dr Jayant Patel ruled over Bundaberg Hospital for two years in the early 2000s, despite being banned from surgical practice in the United States. This gripping true account is the story that set Gold Walkley Award-winning journalist Hedley Thomas on his path to becoming Australia’s most trusted investigative reporter. Based on his bestselling book, the Sick to Death podcast explores a dark chapter in Australian healthcare and the bravery of one nurse who refused to stay silent. Subscribers to The Australian hear new episodes first at sicktodeathpodcast.com (https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/sicktodeathpodcast.com__;!!F0Stn7g!Bwcyn4DwOkqBDzQ3ulmMw8-6vcj1jTLK5YdZ7YPW9IDLYJjdKlL--dR_oMy34xLmB4LSOTwcZo401DMfAIB_ZkVEBMwG_H27HA$). Plus, get exclusive access to photos, videos, timelines, and more at the website.
What this show covers
Queensland Healthcriminal justiceDr Jayant Pateltrue crimepatient safetyTony Morrisinquirypublic scandalpatient advocacyhealthcare accountabilitymedical regulationAustraliaHedley Thomaspolice investigationRosslyn McQueen
What listeners will find here
A dinner scandal deepens the crisis around Queensland Health
This episode follows how a supposedly light-hearted dinner turns into a scandal that sparks calls to sideline Commissioner Tony Morris. It also examines a separate shock: an alleged bogus psychiatrist whose credentials are described to an inquiry as crude forgeries.
How the Dr Jayant Patel saga ends in court, medicine, and memory
The final bonus episode follows the last turns in the Dr Jayant Patel saga, from a High Court appeal and retrials to the effort to stop him from ever practising again. It also brings in fresh reflections from key figures and Patel’s own later perspective.
A 1986 poisoning case turns on one police interview in tiny Lockwood
The episode revisits the 1986 murder of Rosslyn McQueen and the police scrutiny of her husband, Ray, in Lockwood, Victoria. Hedley Thomas joins to discuss where The Poisoned Wife investigation is heading, as suspicion, a neighbour theory and Ray’s fixation on a 17-year-old girl collide.
A trip to the US, a political reckoning, and the fallout of Dr Patel
This episode follows Hedley Thomas as he travels to the United States seeking a face-to-face interview with Jayant Patel, while Geoff Davies presents his findings to Premier Peter Beattie. It also tracks the real-world consequences for Queensland Health and for patients whose lives continued after treatment by the surgeon at the center of the saga.
A court challenge derails the inquiry and ignites a political backlash
The collapse of the Tony Morris Commission of Inquiry triggers public outrage in Queensland after a successful legal challenge by hospital administrators Peter Leck and Dr Darren Keating. The episode follows Premier Peter Beattie’s reversal and the pressure that leads to retired judge Geoff Davis being appointed.
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