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Queensland’s premier has vowed to investigate the appointment of a controversial heart and lung surgeon after he was named head of a new surgical quality and safety program.
Clinical Excellence Queensland, an initiative of Queensland Health, announced Dr Michael Byrom as the state’s new surgical medical lead on Tuesday.
The cardiothoracic surgeon had previously been placed under extensive restrictions – which have since been lifted – following whistleblower complaints.
In his new role, Byrom will identify and address systemic issues contributing to preventable surgical morbidity and mortality, and lead a program to engage key stakeholders in the design and implementation of quality initiatives to improve patient outcomes.
“To this role I bring a strong theoretical, practical, and lived experience in patient safety, audit, and evidence-based practice,” Byrom wrote in a post announcing the role on Facebook.
But the surgeon’s career has been under scrutiny after a series of whistleblower complaints in 2016 while he was working for Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. An inquiry did not find evidence of significant clinical departures warranting the cancellation of Byrom’s registration, but a subsequent probe led to conditions being placed on his work in 2020.
These included strict supervision and retraining, as well as restrictions barring him from performing major heart and lung surgery. It is understood those conditions have since been rescinded.
Premier David Crisafulli described Byrom’s appointment by Queensland Health as “concerning” and said he had asked Health Minister Tim Nicholls to look into the department’s selection process.
“The minister will be investigating it [and] getting to the bottom of it,” Crisafulli said.
Nicholls said he was “seeking advice and assurances from the department of health in relation to proper process”, which included “checking all of the relevant material that’s available in regard to that doctor”.
A spokesperson for Queensland Health said Byrom “was appointed following a rigorous process that included extensive background checks and full transparency”.
“We welcome the appointment of Dr Byrom, given his wealth of knowledge and experience in cardiothoracic surgery, surgical quality improvement, and clinical governance,” they said.
In recent roles, Byrom worked at the Gold Coast University Hospital and with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in Victoria.
Complaints about his practice surfaced in mid-2016 during his time at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, with three surgeons raising concerns over preventable deaths during or following heart surgery.
An investigation that year found Byrom did not meet expected surgical standards, and he undertook a period of retraining before returning to work the following year.
Further alleged incidents prompted a second investigation that found serious deficiencies in his practice, and in 2020, the Medical Council of NSW imposed extensive conditions on Byrom, restricting him from performing major heart and lung surgery, and placing him under strict supervision and retraining.
He was also barred from supervising other doctors and medical students.
The conditions were eventually lifted, and there are currently no restrictions listed under his medical registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
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