A neurosurgeon is suing a hospital for defamation after it reported him to AHPRA for injuring two patients in allegedly botched spinal operations.

Since April last year, Dr Thomas Craig Morris has been prevented under emergency powers from performing any surgery outside four low-risk procedures.

He was reported to AHPRA by the management at St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Melbourne after a review by two senior surgeons raised “serious concerns” about his choice of surgery and overall management in the two procedures performed in 2018.

One patient was left with paraplegia.