- Dr Richard Seamark, 57, is being considered for top role at Queensland hospital
- The British doctor was disqualified as company director for ‘appalling’ record
- Ran two mental health hospitals that were ‘inadequate in every area inspected’
- One patient was locked inside their hospital room for several weeks
A British doctor is being considered for a $400,000-a-year mental health role at a Queensland hospital – despite his ‘appalling’ medical history abroad.
Dr Richard Seamark, 57, is understood to be one of the front-runners for the role of clinical director of mental health at Cairns Hospital, according to the Courier Mail.
But Dr Seamark was banned from running his company – which operated two mental health hospitals in the UK – for seven years after a government-led investigation.
The damning investigation found one of the hospitals was ‘inadequate in every area inspected’, publishing a scathing critique of Dr Seamark’s leadership online.
British doctor Richard Seamark (pictured) is being considered for a $400,000-a-year mental health role at a Queensland hospital – despite his ‘appalling’ medical history abroad
In its report on the company, named Care+ Ltd, the government agency revealed one patient had been locked inside their hospital room for several weeks.
It described the incident as a ‘breach of the patient’s human rights’.
The hospital also failed to report serious incidents such as medicine errors and kept defibrillator pads that had expired over seven years ago.
Dr Seamark moved to Queensland last year after he was disqualified from director and his company went into voluntary liquidation.
Queensland Health told the Courier Mail the role ‘had not been finalised’ and claimed Dr Seamark had not yet signed a contract.
‘A final decision in relation to the employment of Dr Seamark has not been made,’ Cairns Hinterland HHS boss Clare Douglas told the publication.
‘Dr Seamark advised the Health Service of these matters in the UK and the Health Service suspended the recruitment process to enable Dr Seamark to respond.
‘He has fully co-operated with the due diligence process that Queensland Health applies to all potential employees.’
Dr Seamark is understood to be one of the front-runners for the role of clinical director of mental health at Cairns Hospital (pictured)