Statement on Cancer Genetics

05 May 2025

St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney has been contacting patients of its cancer genetics service from over a 15-month period who may have received poor or incorrect advice from a clinician.

These were not tests to detect if cancer is present.

St Vincent’s offers genetic testing for those interested in understanding whether they have gene mutations that carry a higher risk than others of developing into certain types of cancers. These types of tests are often used to help people learn about, or clarify, their potential risk of cancer in the future.

In September 2023, St Vincent’s became aware of some irregularities in the medical records of three patients in its cancer genetics service relating to a clinician, who largely saw patients from his private office or rooms via telephone during the COVID pandemic.

As a result of those early irregularities, St Vincent’s initiated a formal ‘lookback’ review across more than 1,640 medical records – a deeper and broader examination of the clinician’s cases – to understand the impact, if any, on patients, and which covered the period April 2022 to June 2023. 

To date, that review has determined there has been an adverse clinical health outcome for a single patient following the provision of incorrect advice by the clinician. The patient has been informed of the review. The process of confirming what took place and providing all necessary support for this patient is ongoing.

For around 1,100 patients in the review, no errors or irregularities were detected.

In approximately 520 records, we discovered matters such as poor clinical documentation, incomplete correspondence, and a lack of genetic counselling.

And in approximately 20 records, we discovered errors that carried potential risk – even if, ultimately, there had been no harm to these patients – such as providing incorrect information and advice.

St Vincent’s contacted the patients in this latter group as they were identified, to inform them of what had happened, to apologise, and to provide follow up support as needed.

St Vincent’s has been contacting the broader group of patients to inform them of the lookback, and apologise for any inconvenience and stress caused by the review or its outcomes.

St Vincent’s is offering further advice and consultation to patients as required.

The clinician has not worked at the hospital since mid-2023 and was referred to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency by St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney.

It is important to note that the issue does not relate to the cancer genetic testing itself, which is sound. Any errors or irregularities identified relate to the clinician’s interpretation and communication of results, his engagement with genetic counsellors, and his management of patient records.

St Vincent’s first reported this matter to NSW Health in October 2023 – shortly after becoming aware of the irregularities – and has provided regular updates on developments to NSW Health since then. 

St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney is committed to reviewing all the clinician’s patient records to the beginning of the COVID pandemic, when he began making changes to the service model and seeing patients without the involvement of other clinicians.

Since mid-2023 and the clinician's departure, St Vincent’s has returned its cancer genetics service to a model which emphasises the important role other clinicians play – including the role of genetics counsellors – to ensure these errors will not happen again.

We have also begun a partnership with the cancer genetics service at Prince of Wales Hospital and are benefiting from its extensive experience in this clinical area.

If you have any further questions regarding this matter, please contact the Cancer Genetics Review Clinic by email at SVHSReviewClinic@svha.org.au or by calling (02) 8527 3856 (Review Clinic operating hours are 9am to 4pm, weekdays).