New questions are being raised about the Toowoomba-based psychiatrist who agreed to wean Westfield Bondi Junction killer Joel Cauchi off his medication for schizophrenia.
Dr Andrea Boros-Lavack treated Joel Cauchi from 2012 to 2020.
At a coronial inquest into the stabbing, the court heard Cauchi’s mother Michele tried to warn Dr Boros-Lavack seven times of her concerns he was relapsing into psychosis after coming off his medication.
Dr Andrea Boros-Lavack treated Joel Cauchi from 2012 to 2020. (A Current Affair)
He was still off his medication when he killed six people in April 2024.
Two of Dr Boros-Lavack’s former patients have spoken to A Current Affair about their experiences of being treated by the psychiatrist.
One former patient says she felt “dismissed and unheard” when seeing Dr Boros-Lavack almost eight years ago.
“She disregarded a few of my previous diagnoses from earlier psychiatrists,” the former patient said.
“I don’t understand how she came to the conclusions that she did. A young woman who was in need didn’t need to be treated by a dirty, crazy person.”
Another patient says they complained to medical regulator, AHPRA, about Dr Boros-Lavack in 2014.
Dr Andrea Boros-Lavack treated Joel Cauchi from 2012 to 2020. (A Current Affair)
The former patient alleges her “treatment was highly inappropriate and unprofessional”, claiming the doctor “stated she would be changing my medication with no discussion or explanation” leaving her feeling “traumatised for a very long time”.
“I thought it was important that AHPRA was aware of this practitioner’s unprofessionalism. I didn’t think she was fit to treat patients.”
AHPRA dismissed the complaint without even speaking with the aggrieved patient.
A Current Affair can also reveal that in 2023, AHPRA placed two conditions on Dr Boros-Lavack’s registration, requiring her to undertake education and get mentoring about managing vulnerable patients and conflicts of interest.
Both conditions were removed from the public register by mid 2024 after she had satisfied those requirements.
A Current Affair is not suggesting Dr Boros-Lavack has mistreated former patients only that there are allegations from some who feel unheard.
The doctor, who is still practicing in Toowoomba, declined to respond to repeated email requests seeking her response.
A spokesperson for the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) told A Current Affair:
Confidentiality provisions of the National Law under which we operate limit what we can say publicly about an individual practitioner or matter. Unless a matter is already in the public domain, for example a specific tribunal outcome or listing on the public register, we are unable to provide information in relation to it.
We can receive a complaint or concern (what we call a ‘notification’) about a registered health practitioner anywhere in Australia. In Queensland, complaints must be made to the Office of the Health Ombudsman (OHO). The OHO shares information with Ahpra and the National Boards when complaints relate to registered practitioners. Each notification or concern raised is reviewed by the OHO and Ahpra at the same time and a joint decision is made about which organisation will manage the matter. Any decisions that affect the registration of a practitioner are recorded in the national register of practitioners, maintained by Ahpra.
Ahpra is required by law to provide notice of a notification to the practitioner as soon as practicable after it is received. We aim to contact practitioners within five (5) days of the notification being assigned to a regulatory advisor for management. There are circumstances where we lawfully withhold providing notice of a notification, for example when providing the notice to the practitioner may prejudice our investigation, place a person’s health or safety at risk, or risk a person being subjected to intimidation or harassment.
We also contact notifiers when a notification is received, and also to provide progress updates, outcomes and reasons for decision.
We have taken proactive steps to complete the management of more notifications sooner, for the benefit of all involved, and continue to improve the process. In 2024-25, 81.1% of all notifications were completed within six months of receipt, and the current average time taken to complete a notification is the lowest on record.
The National Boards have the power to take immediate action to suspend a practitioner or otherwise restrict their practice if it reasonably believes a practitioner’s behaviour, performance or health poses a serious risk to public health or safety. It may also take immediate action to suspend a practitioner or otherwise restrict their practice if it is in the public interest such as when a practitioner is charged with a serious criminal offence. Immediate action is always interim action whilst a Board continues an investigation.
A spokesperson for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) told A Current Affair:
The tragedy in Bondi has deeply shaken all of us and exposed the cracks in our mental health system. Our thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, witnesses, health workers, first responders and the wider community.
Psychiatrists and mental health workers do a tough job caring for some of the most vulnerable Australians in stretched mental health systems.
Psychiatric practice at times involves complex clinical scenarios and need whole of system to work together to ensure safe and best outcomes for the patient and community.
Treatment and advice are frequently based on a person’s mental health presentation at the time of review and psychiatrists are unable to confidently predict what might or might not happen in the future.
The Office of the Health Ombudsman told A Current Affair:
In Queensland, the Office of the Health Ombudsman (OHO) is responsible for receiving and dealing with health service complaints under the Health Ombudsman Act 2013 (the HO Act).
In handling complaints about registered practitioners in Queensland, the OHO shares regulatory responsibility with Ahpra and the 15 registered practitioner National Boards under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Queensland).
Strict privacy and confidentiality provisions under section 272 of the HO Act prevent the OHO from disclosing detailed or identifiable information about individual complaints, practitioners, healthcare facilities, or investigations.
Any person with a complaint about a health service organisation or a health service provider is encouraged to contact the OHO online at www.oho.qld.gov.au or via phone on 133 646.
Under the Act, the Health Ombudsman may issue an immediate action order against any health practitioner who the Health Ombudsman believes is a serious risk to public health and safety or if it is otherwise in the public interest.  Immediate action orders are published on the OHO’s website.