A Sydney doctor who was left $24 million in the will of a former patient has been found guilty of professional misconduct.
General practitioner Peter Alexakis was also found guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct after the tribunal probed his dealings with the patient, who was 83 years of age when he died in November 2017.
The total inheritance left to Dr Alexakis topped $24 million, according to Fairfax media.
The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal decision prosecuted by the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission was delivered this week, with a further hearing listed to determine if any actions should be taken to protect public health and safety.
The commission alleged at the heart of Dr Alexakis' misconduct was his "intention to financially benefit from the patient-doctor relationship".
In 2017 Dr Alexakis visited the patient at his Strathfield home daily, or almost daily, from around July 9 until October 5.
Around that time the patient rectified his will, removing the Salvation Army as the main beneficiary and instead bequeathing the doctor his Strathfield property and about 90 per cent of his estate.
"It might be accepted that even Alexakis was surprised to discover that his good fortune as virtually sole beneficiary amounted to multi-million dollars," the HCCC submitted to the tribunal.
Dr Alexakis also introduced the patient to his solicitor while he was in hospital for the purpose of changing his will, however argued he did not know he personally had been made a beneficiary until after the patient died.
A neuro-psychological assessment of the patient conducted half a year before his death found he had sufficient mental capacity to execute or change his will.
The tribunal heard testimony from a hospital-based practitioner who initially lodged the complaint and said in dealing with the patient, Dr Alexakis "provided excessive reviews and failed to observe appropriate professional boundaries".
Dr Alexakis denied his actions constituted unsatisfactory professional conduct, arguing in a submission to the tribunal the patient was an intelligent man who could not be taken advantage of.
"His mind was sharp and he continued to successfully share trade until near to his final hospitalisation," Dr Alexakis said in his submission.
Ultimately the tribunal ruled it could not be proved whether Dr Alexakis acted with the intention of being included in the patient's will.
"It may have been, but that is a matter for conjecture," a tribunal decision stated.
Another complaint levelled at Alexakis by the HCCC alleged he prescribed oxycontin, oxycodone, fentanyl and diazepam to another patient who was a refugee from Afghanistan between 2008 and 2017 without first conducting proper consultations and physical examinations.
Dr Alexakis admitted his conduct in relation to that patient constituted unsatisfactory professional conduct.
