NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has issued a stern directive to doctors who take illicit drugs on their days off, telling them to "get out of our public hospitals".

The warning comes after a NSW neurosurgeon was suspended for three months in a case that detailed the specialist's weekend drug-taking with a junior doctor who died of a heroin overdose.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard has called for doctors who take illicit drugs on their days off to be severely dealt with. Credit:Louise Kennerley

"Patients expect their doctors to be doctors, not drug lords," Mr Hazzard said.

"As minister for health I get the fact that some people say they are doing it on their own time, but my view is they are putting patients' lives potentially at risk."