This information sheet outlines the options available to people who wish to make a complaint – or take legal action against –  Dr Peter Petros.

If you have suffered an injury or experienced poor or inappropriate care from Dr Petros, we urge you to get in touch to make an appointment for one of our specialist health lawyers to come and see you. Our female health lawyers are based in regional NSW and are experts in dealing with obstetric and gynaecological cases sensitively and effectively.

Time limits apply to personal injury cases in NSW so it is important that you get legal advice promptly.

Dr Peter Petros

Serious complaints have been made by former patients of retired urogynaecologist Dr Petros. Dr Petros was an assistant surgeon and supervisor to another rogue doctor, Dr Peter Reid who has also been disqualified.

The Health Care Complaints Commission prosecuted a complaint against Dr Peter Petros before the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). NCAT found Dr Petros guilty of professional misconduct and cancelled his registration in 2019.

Dr Petros used the Tissue Fixation System (TFS) device which was implanted in patients suffering from various utero-vaginal conditions such as prolapse.

The HCCC alleged that Dr Petros failed to:

• inform the hospital, surgeons and more than 100 patients from 2013 – 2015 that he and his family held a financial interest in the medical device
• make these financial disclosures when the device was taken off the Therapeutic Goods Administration register of medical devices in 2014, but was continuing to be used
• ensure patients were aware that the device had been taken down from the register, and the reasons for it
• give an adequate handover to a receiving doctor at another hospital, for a patient who had major complications from surgery in which the medical device was used

The HCCC also said Dr Petros mislead

• it about his and his family’s financial interest in the medical device, when and why his interest changed, and his role at the hospital supervising Dr Peter Reid
• a hospital to which he provided a report on a patient’s surgical complications and transfer, minimising the seriousness of the event, the sequence of events, failed to mention the medical device, and underplayed the seriousness of the patient’s status at the transfer hospital.

Seeking compensation for medical negligence

We need to establish that your treatment fell below the standard of care that could be expected from a reasonably competent obstetrician or gynaecologist and that you have suffered a physical and/or psychological injury as a result of that sub-standard treatment to be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

Take action
People wishing to make a complaint or take action against Dr Petros, should confidentially talk to an independent medical lawyer to better understand their rights and avoid falling foul of time limits that apply to legal action. Catherine Henry Lawyers has accredited specialists in personal injury as well as an in house nurse. If you need assistance regarding a medical negligence matter, contact us on (02) 4929 3995.

This information is of a general nature. You should obtain specific legal advice for your circumstances.