Pretend Brisbane doctor not a patient risk

A man who pretended to be a doctor at a Brisbane hospital did not have access to clinical areas or patients, the hospital's executive director says.

Lady Cilento Children's Hospital in Brisbane

Queensland's Lady Cilento hospital say patients were never at risk from a man who posed as a doctor. (AAP)

A Brisbane hospital has assured patients they were never under threat after a man posed as a doctor at the facility for months.

Nicholas Brett Delaney was fined $3000 on Monday after he stole credentials and walked the halls of the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital and Ronald McDonald House between May and December last year.

"He didn't get access to any of the clinical areas. He didn't get access to patients. His motives weren't there for - in terms of access to - medications," Lady Cilento Children's Hospital executive director Dominic Tait told ABC radio on Tuesday.

Mr Tait said Mr Delaney interacted with volunteers and members of the public, in public areas such as the front desk, foyer, and cafes.

"It is unsettling," Mr Tait said.

"This is a significant breach; this is a significant incident in terms of our security and we do take this extremely seriously."

Mr Tait said it has been reinforced to staff to always be vigilant and aware of those inside the hospital.

Mr Delaney's solicitor Nicholas Hanly told Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday the 25-year-old was there to meet people after losing his job as an orderly at a Sunnybank hospital.

"The reason Mr Delaney went to the hospital pretending to be a doctor was to make friends," he said.

While delivering his sentence, magistrate Barry Cosgrove warned Delaney that had he attempted to treat patients he would likely have been sent to jail.

A remorseful Delaney, who suffers from a mild intellectual impairment, pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud and one of entering a premises and committing an indictable offence.


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world