A GP who billed ‘phantom consults’ and created mental health plans for patients without their knowledge has been banned from Medicare for three years.

The Professional Services Review (PSR) investigated the doctor for inappropriately billing attendance items, health assessments, GP management plans and mental healthcare plans.

He has already been suspended by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal for billing care plans based on “informal conversations” with patients outside of his consult rooms.

Neither of the patients had been aware they were being counselled by the doctor and there were no notes in his medical records relating to their treatment, the tribunal said at the time.