A MANDURAH vet has been found guilty of unprofessional conduct for self-medicating with Diazepam meant for animals.

Katherine Elizabeth Jean Barker made false entries to clinical records on seven occasions last year to obtain the drug.

Her actions came to light after discrepancies were discovered and reported by the owners of Halls Head Small Animal Clinic, where she did some work as a temporary locum.

On November 15 last year, Dr Barker’s authority to administer, possess, prescribe, or supply or use Benzodiazepines was suspended by the Department of Health with immediate effect.

But on the same day Dr Barker bought and imported 180 10mg strength Diazepam tablets from India and Romania for use when self-administering.

When the drugs arrived on December 7, they were seized by the Department of Health and destroyed.

The suspicious parcel had been reported to authorities by the owners of the Halls Head clinic.

In a decision published last week the State Administrative Tribunal found Dr Barker guilty of unprofessional conduct.

It said Dr Barker, on one occasion, had attempted to cover up her behaviour by requesting that a veterinary nurse, from another clinic, provide false information if questioned about it.

Dr Barker, who now resides interstate, admitted to all of the allegations made by the Veterinary Surgeons’ Board of WA in a statutory declaration she made this January, though she has since stopped responding to emails from the Board and the Tribunal.

“The Tribunal is satisfied that Dr Barker had a fair opportunity to participate in the proceedings but has chosen not to do so,” it noted.

On one occasion, Dr Barker forged the signature of another vet on a prescription for 50 5mg strength Diazepam tablets for a blue heeler dog named Charlie which belonged to her sister.

“It is not alleged by the Board that the prescription was diverted to Dr Barker for self-administration. Dr Barker’s position is that the prescription was given to her sister,” the Tribunal stated.

“The Tribunal finds that a registered veterinary surgeon of good repute and competency would not intentionally make false clinical records, divert Schedule 4 drugs for the purpose of self-administration, forge signatures of colleagues on prescriptions, import Schedule 4 drugs absent the requisite authority or attempt to elicit false corroboration from former colleagues. To do so clearly substantially falls below the expected standard of conduct in the profession,” it stated.

The Tribunal will make a decision on any orders and penalty after receiving submissions from Dr Barker and the Board.

Halls Head Small Animal Clinic owner Paul Gendle told PerthNow: “The vet in question, Katherine Barker, was not one of our regular vets.

“She was doing a locum for us and it was only due to our diligent record keeping of S8 drugs and regular auditing of clinical records that her drug use was discovered. It was us who reported her use to the Veterinary Surgeons’ Board and it was us who intercepted the suspicious parcel from overseas and reported it to the Veterinary Surgeons’ Board and Health Department who then seized it.”