Davies Commission

The Queensland Public Hospitals Commission of Inquiry, often referred to as the Davies Commission, was an inquiry into public hospitals in Queensland, Australia. The inquiry was headed by The Honourable Geoffrey Davies AO QC, a former Supreme Court judge of appeal.

The commission was established by the Queensland Governor-In-Council in 2005 to investigate, among other things, the conduct of Dr Jayant Patel, a former surgeon of Bundaberg Base Hospital. It was not a Royal Commission and therefore had limited powers. The Commission was begun after the failure of a similar commission headed by Mr Tony Morris, the Bundaberg Hospital Commission of Inquiry.

The commission found gross negligence in Patel's conduct, as well as systematic failures of management to deal with the problem. Davies recommended that Patel be referred to the public prosecutor for consideration of manslaughter, fraud, and assault charges.

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