Karmactive Staff
Warringal Private Hospital in Melbourne’s Heidelberg has terminated the credentialing of prominent neurosurgeon Greg Malham following an ABC Four Corners investigation that uncovered allegations of sexist and unprofessional behavior in the operating theater.
The termination, announced July 22, 2025, comes just months after Malham resigned from Epworth Hospital in Richmond following a separate internal review into workplace conduct concerns.
“The allegations raised in the media are serious and do not align with Ramsay’s values,” stated Maree Mendola, CEO of Warringal Private Hospital. “Everyone working in our hospitals is expected to uphold our Code of Conduct and The Ramsay Way values.”
The Four Corners investigation, which aired on July 21, revealed footage from April 2025 showing Malham tearing down a political campaign corflute sign of MP Monique Ryan while making concerning comments including “always gotta bury the body.”
The program interviewed many former colleagues and patients who reported incidents of alleged misconduct.
A nurse named Katie who worked with Malham told Four Corners that nurses often felt uneasy around him and that his behavior in the operating theater matched what was seen in the viral video.
Radiographer Maddison described a pattern where staff, particularly radiographers, would be frightened and sometimes reduced to tears by interactions with Malham in the operating theater.
According to hospital records obtained by Four Corners, Malham had been granted temporary credentialing at Warringal in May 2025, just weeks after his resignation from Epworth Healthcare following their six-week external review.
The Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) has confirmed an active investigation into Malham’s conduct. Malham self-reported to AHPRA following the April incident. AHPRA’s process typically involves a 30-day triage period followed by a 60-day provisional investigation before potential hearings.
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) released a statement supporting zero tolerance for unprofessional behavior. RACS President Owen Ung wrote: “The College is committed to eliminating discrimination, bullying, and sexual harassment in surgical practice. Behaviour that undermines patient safety or fosters discrimination or harassment has no place in surgery.”
The medical community has long been concerned about workplace culture in operating theaters. Research published in JAMA Surgery in 2019 found a connection between unprofessional behavior by surgeons and increased surgical complications, with approximately a 14% relative increase in complications across all surgeries in teams where unprofessional behavior was reported.
Malham, who previously practiced at Christchurch Hospital in New Zealand before relocating to Melbourne in 1997, has not publicly commented on the termination or allegations.
Four Corners reporter Louise Milligan reported the investigation raised concerns about accountability mechanisms within private hospitals and the challenges staff face when reporting inappropriate behavior from senior clinicians.Epworth Healthcare confirmed Malham’s resignation in May following their external review but declined to provide additional details regarding the circumstances of his departure.
