Hawthorn cosmetic doctor Dr Francesco Barbagallo suspended after treating patients for nearly two years without mandatory insurance
Melbourne cosmetic doctor Dr Francesco Barbagallo has been suspended for five months after a tribunal found he practised for nearly two years without mandatory professional indemnity insurance. The case matters because the required cover helps ensure patients can seek compensation and meet legal costs if they are harmed through error or negligence.
Barbagallo’s insurance lapsed in September 2021, and he later declared he met insurance requirements when renewing his registration in September 2022. The tribunal found three counts of professional misconduct, one of unprofessional conduct and one of improperly obtaining registration; it said retroactive cover did not excuse the gap or his failure to notify the regulator within seven days. The article says the tribunal hearing took place in September 2024.
In short
- Doctor suspended for five months over uninsured practice.
- Insurance lapsed in September 2021.
- Tribunal found five counts of misconduct or improper conduct.
Explained simply
In Australia, doctors must hold professional indemnity insurance to practise. It can help cover legal costs and compensation if a patient is harmed through an error or negligence.
Dr Francesco Barbagallo is a Melbourne cosmetic doctor who treated patients while his insurance had lapsed. The tribunal found he also declared that he met the insurance requirement when renewing his registration, and that later obtaining cover for the earlier period did not remove the breach.
The case concerns doctors’ duties to keep required cover in place and to tell the regulator when it lapses. That matters because insurance can affect patients’ ability to seek compensation and meet legal costs if something goes wrong.