Mr Aleksander Strande – Breaches of Code of Conduct – Permanent Prohibition Order

24 Sep 2019

The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission investigated a number of complaints about the conduct of unregistered health practitioner Mr Aleksander Strande.  Mr Strande was operating a naturopath business, 'Express Healing' from his residential home in Kogarah, NSW, which offered herbal treatment for pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression and other health conditions, in addition to Reiki healing to 'relax, decongest and oxygenate the body'.

The investigation found that Mr Strande:

• Willfully misrepresented and overstated to the Commission and to the public, the level of his qualifications. and qualifications and his competence to treat serious illnesses.
• Made claims about the efficacy of the recommended treatment when those claims could not be substantiated.
• Lacks the knowledge and expertise to determine whether the products he provides to clients may have adverse reactions with their prescribed medications.
• Failed to provide information to clients regarding the herbal medicines and pressured his clients to continue treatment with him despite their complaints of adverse side effects.
• Unwilling to seriously reflect on his practice and has no insight into the limitations of his training and qualifications and his competence to treat serious illnesses.

The investigation determined that Mr Strande breached numerous clauses of the Code of Conduct for Unregistered Health Practitioners under Schedule 3 of the Public Health Regulation 2012 in respect of:

• Clause 3(1): a health practitioner must provide health services in a safe and ethical manner,
• Clause 3(2) (b)(c)(f) & (j): a health practitioner must-
  • Not provide health care if a type that is outside his or her experience or training;
  • Not provide services that he or she is not qualified to provide;
  • Recognise the limitations of the treatment he or she can provide and refer clients to other competent health practitioners in appropriate circumstances;
  • Have a sound understanding of any adverse reactions between the therapies and treatments he or she provides or prescribes and any other medications or treatments, whether prescribed or not, that the health practitioner is aware the client is taking or receiving.
• Clause 5(1): a health practitioner must not hold himself or herself out as qualified, able or willing to cure cancer or other terminal illnesses.
• Clause 7(1): a health practitioner must not attempt to dissuade clients from seeking or continuing with treatment by a registered medical practitioner.
• Clause 10(3): a health practitioner must not provide services and treatments to clients unless they are designed to maintain or improve the clients' health or wellbeing.
• Clause 12(1): a health practitioner must not engage in any form of misrepresentation in relation to the products or services he or she provides or as to his or her qualifications, training or professional affiliations.
• Clause 12(3): a health practitioner must not make claims, either directly or in advertising or promotional material, about the efficacy of treatment or services provided if those claims cannot be substantiated.
• Clause 15: a health practitioner must maintain accurate, legible and contemporaneous clinical records for each client consultation.
• Clause 17: a health practitioner must display a copy of each of the following documents at all premises where the health practitioner carries his or her practice:
  • Code of Conduct,
  • A document that gives information about the way in which clients may make a complaint to the Health Care Complaints Commission, being a document in a form approved by the Secretary.

The Commission is satisfied that Mr Strande poses a risk to the health and safety of members of the public and therefore makes the following prohibition order:

• Mr Strande is permanently prohibited from providing any health services, as defined in s4 Of the Health Care Complaints Act 1993, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity.

The Commission has determined to make its Statement of Decision publicly available under section 41B(3)(c) of the Health Care Complaints Act 1993 but has removed material which it considers to be confidential information.

Further Information

The full Public Statement of Decision can be read here.