A former GP who collected $318,000 in rebates for fake bulk-billed Medicare services has received a three-year prison sentence, which has been wholly suspended because of his Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions.  

The County Court of Victoria heard that the doctor, now 78, submitted 5108 bulk-billed claims for consultations with 330 patients that never happened.  

The location of around 2800 purported services, spanning 2014 to 2016, was a derelict office in Melbourne, Judge Michael O’Connell said.

“When investigators attended on 28 April 2018, [the building] appeared to be in the process of being renovated, and the interior of the ground floor was generally dirty [and] derelict, and there was no area where any medical services could practically be provided,” according to his sentencing remarks last week.