Sydney doctor who shared alt-right views with patients on his clinic website found mentally unfit to treat people

This article is more than 7 months old

This article is more than 7 months old

A Sydney psychiatrist who posted “bizarre” alt-right conspiracy theories he claimed were the directives of US President Donald Trump to his practice’s official website has been struck off the medical register.

The Dee Why doctor Russell Everard McGregor claimed Trump had taped evidence of a global Satanist paedophile network, that 9/11 was faked, and that the ABC was part of an international deep state network covering up the crimes of the elite.

Many of the 300-plus posts from 2018 onwards related to the debunked QAnon conspiracy that suggests Trump is leading a crusade against “deep state” forces who protect satanic paedophile rings.

“Fight with your keyboard, knowledge and pen,” McGregor wrote in one post in January 2018. “Follow Q breadcrumbs on 8chan.

“The evil truth will be hard for most to bear. Be brave. Seek loved ones and offer compassion to friends and family.”

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In another post detailed by the NSW civil and administrative tribunal this week, McGregor insisted that the WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, had not been hiding in the Ecuadorian embassy in London but was in Switzerland or Washington.

“He is an Australian hero and would make a fine future PM,” McGregor wrote.

The doctor continues to post blogs to the official website of his Northern Beaches Psychiatrist and Psychologist Family Medical Practice.

The blog was only uncovered after McGregor submitted a detailed complaint to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency about an alleged affair between his wife and a colleague.

When a colleague working at the same practice complained that the information had been inappropriately shared with her as well, the NSW Medical Council began to look into McGregor’s wellbeing.

During a hearing into his mental state, McGregor told the medical council that if they had “any understanding of politics, you would understand that the beliefs that are actually put on the blog are actually the directives from President Trump”.

When the council chair called to say his registration had been suspended, he called her a “filthy dirty fucking leftwing slut” and claimed she “knowingly used the power of political correctness to inflict woman to male intimidation and assault against [him]”.

“You think you can do this just because I’m rightwing?” McGregor asked.

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He later used the blog to label the council a “pedophile protection agency” and “deranged President Trump haters and those who are political sycophants of what the Deep State represents”.

McGregor’s deregistration was granted by NCAT on Wednesday after a hearing in which the doctor’s own assessing psychiatrist testified that McGregor was paranoid.

Dr Murray Wright said McGregor had tried to win him over to the QAnon cause by bringing a 600-page document to the consultation.

“These are extraordinary beliefs for a consultant psychiatrist to publicly associate himself with, particularly on a website associated with his clinical practice,” Wright told NCAT.

The tribunal agreed, finding McGregor was exposing his vulnerable patients to harm with the posts and was mentally unfit to continuing treating people. “His perception is not the reality,” NCAT said.

“His clients, some of whom may be prone to paranoid thoughts or beliefs, are likely to read the blog and be influenced by his bizarre and overvalued ideas.”

McGregor was also found guilty of professional misconduct and banned from reapplying for a year over the posts and his verbal abuse. He will need to prove he has recovered significantly should he wish to practice again.

• Crisis support services can be reached 24 hours a day: Lifeline 13 11 14; Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467; Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800; MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78; Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636