At least two people are taking legal action against disgraced former Albury surgeon Roland von Marburg, as a lawyer slams the failure of authorities to step in earlier.
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The Health Care Complaints Commission recently banned the doctor from practising for eight years after a string of botched operations and misconduct.
He had surrendered his registration in October 2017 and had failed to comply with drug treatment orders from earlier complaints, having prescribed drugs to himself.
At least two people are taking civil action against the doctor in the district court, including an Albury woman who claims von Marburg failed to adequately treat her skin cancer.
Her lawyer, Kate Williams of Don Cameron and Associates, said the skin cancer allegedly hadn't been properly removed, which led to facial scarring and disfigurement years later when the error was discovered.
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Ms Williams, who has been practising medical law for 25 years, said she had received enquiries about von Marburg since 2007 and said authorities should have acted earlier.
She said the Health Care Complaints Commission brought more than a dozen complaints in 11 years to the Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
"He undertakes surgery that even in the hands of experienced and competent surgeons has the risk of causing damage to the facial nerves and brain," she said.
"The NSW and Victorian relevant statutory authorities have failed to protect the residents of the Albury-Wodonga area from Dr von Marburg."
She expects recent media coverage of his case will lead to more patients coming forward.
"The pattern of his management is to over-diagnose and encourage people into surgery without taking a conservative measures first," Ms Williams said.
"He undertook surgery that is not necessary and had poor outcomes."
Despite complaints, she said medical authorities allowed him to continue practising.
"Any surgery has significant risk, and he's somebody who has a problem with drugs of addiction," Ms Williams said.
"No doctor is safe if they have a problem with addiction.
"Maybe it is better late than never but I can only feel sympathy for those who may have been spared had the authorities acted earlier and more decisively."
Von Marburg did not return calls.
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