The Health Ombudsman issued an interim prohibition order imposing restrictions on the provision of health services provided by Somtochukwu Steven Okonkwo, effective 23 April 2024.

The restrictions imposed include the requirements the practitioner:

• Must only practise as a health practitioner in employment and at practice locations approved by the Health Ombudsman and published on the Office of the Health Ombudsman website.
• Must not work alone or be the sole provider of care to a patient who has high level care needs, or has the requirement for continuous observation, including ‘line of sight observation’ and/or increased visual observations and monitoring.
• Must not practise in any role which requires supervision of other practitioners engaged to provide high level patient care, or who are required to undertake continuous observation, including ‘line of sight observation’ and/or increased visual observations and monitoring.

The practitioner does not currently have Health Ombudsman approval to practise in any employment or practice location.

In accordance with section 73(2) of the Health Ombudsman Act 2013 (the Act), the order continues to have effect until the earliest of the following happens –

• the order ends under section 90H of the Act;
• QCAT sets aside the decision to issue the order on application by the practitioner for a review of the decision;
• the Health Ombudsman revokes the order under section 76 of the Act.