Queensland’s Health Ombudsman has issued an order to prohibit former anaesthetic technician Evan Leslie Kajewski from providing health services anywhere in the state.

Health Ombudsman Leon Atkinson-MacEwen said he was satisfied the former Mater Hospital employee poses a serious risk to the health and safety of the public.

Mr Kajewski is accused of swapping syringes of the painkiller fentanyl, a Schedule 8 controlled drug, with syringes filled with saline solution. It is alleged he stole the drug for personal use.

“Mr Kajewski’s alleged actions suggest that he should not be entrusted with the wellbeing of those placed in his clinical care,” Mr Atkinson-MacEwen said.

On Wednesday 25 October 2017 Mr Kajewski appeared before the Brisbane Magistrate’s Court facing 12 charges, and was released on bail to reappear in court on 22 November.

The Health Ombudsman can take immediate action against an unregistered health practitioner if he is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the practitioner poses a serious risk to the health and safety of the public and that it is necessary to act to protect the public. The Health Ombudsman’s jurisdiction extends to both registered and unregistered practitioners, and the Health Ombudsman has the power to prohibit or restrict the practice of an unregistered health provider.

In this matter, the Queensland Police Service’s investigation into the practitioner provided the information necessary to sustain the view that the practitioner poses a serious risk to the public. Moreover, in the absence of bail conditions specifically preventing the practitioner from providing a health service, the Health Ombudsman took action to prohibit Mr Kajewski from providing any health service.

“The interim prohibition order took effect Monday 30 October 2017,” Mr Atkinson-MacEwen said.

“The order prohibits Mr Kajewski from providing any health service, paid or otherwise, in a clinical or non-clinical capacity, unless this decision is overturned by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.”

All current, in force prohibition orders and registration actions against health service providers can be found in the public register on the Office of the Health Ombudsman’s website at www.oho.qld.gov.au.

—ENDS

Media enquiries:
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