The Health Complaints Commissioner of Victoria has ordered artificial eye maker Jack McDonald to cease operations while an investigation continues into his practices. Complaints from clients have raised significant concerns regarding the quality of the prosthetic eyes he has provided. Adjunct Professor Bernice Redley, the Health Complaints Commissioner, announced the issuance of an Interim Prohibition Order (IPO) against Mr McDonald, citing a reasonable belief that he has contravened the applicable code of conduct for general health services.
According to Professor Redley, “An Interim Prohibition Order is a measure I can put in place if I reasonably believe a general health service provider has contravened the code of conduct applying to general health services, and I am satisfied that an IPO is necessary to avoid a serious risk.” This order prevents Mr McDonald from offering or advertising health services for a period of 12 weeks, with the possibility of extension if the investigation reveals ongoing risks to public health.
More clients have come forward with complaints about the artificial eyes made by Mr McDonald, leading to heightened scrutiny of his work. The Health Complaints Commissioner emphasized her commitment to addressing any alleged breaches of the General Code of Conduct, stating, “I take any alleged breach very seriously and will take the necessary action against providers who put the public’s health, safety, or welfare at risk.”
Mr McDonald previously advertised his services from multiple locations, including Sydney, Melbourne, Dandenong, Hobart, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Geelong, and Auckland. The IPO issued by the Victorian Health Complaints Commission is recognized in New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia.
The decision has been welcomed by Peter Knowles, head of the Ocularists Association, who expressed concerns about Mr McDonald’s practices in the past. He stated, “It clearly shows that government departments such as the health complaints commission continue to play a vital role in ensuring that health services are provided in a manner that places patient care and wellbeing first.” Knowles also highlighted the distress faced by patients who have invested significant time and money into obtaining suitable prosthetic eyes, only to receive substandard outcomes.
The current lack of regulatory requirements for ocularists in Australia allows individuals like Mr McDonald to operate without oversight. Notably, Mr McDonald is not a member of the Ocularists Association of Australia and is not mandated to be.
Clients have voiced their dissatisfaction with Mr McDonald’s services to the media. Ron Clark, a Sydney resident, recounted a particularly troubling experience with his prosthetic eye, stating that it “bulged out of the socket” and fell from his eye while dining out. “I was actually chasing it around the restaurant floor,” Clark recalled, describing the incident as both embarrassing and distressing. He reached out to share his experience to prevent others from enduring similar difficulties.
Another client, Jenny Miller, who lost her eye to cancer, described her experience with Mr McDonald as “harrowing.” She criticized the prosthetic eye as “hideous” and akin to a “fish eye.” Miller has lodged a formal complaint with the Health Complaints Commissioner, expressing her desire to protect others from facing the same ordeal. “I just don’t want people to go through this,” she said, reflecting on the emotional toll of her experience.
The Health Consumers Forum of Australia has previously called for the federal government to facilitate discussions among clients and clinicians to improve the overall standards and practices within the ocularist sector.
