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Police hunt for Dr Death

Queensland police will scan all 87 deaths linked to the rogue surgeon dubbed Dr Death for the strongest case to secure his extradition to Australia on at least one murder charge.

A worldwide hunt has begun for Indian-trained Dr Jayant Patel, who fled Australia in March and now faces charges of murder, a negligent act causing harm, fraud and making false representations.

Dr Patel faces a murder charge over the death of patient James Edward Phillips, a cancer patient at Bundaberg Base Hospital, who died five days after having part of his oesophagus removed by Dr Patel despite the fact his condition had been deemed inoperable.

The murder charge was supported by Dr Patel's failure, when applying for registration as a surgeon in Australia, to disclose he was found guilty of gross negligence and banned from practicing in the US.

The charges form part of the recommendations of an interim report from the commission of inquiry set up to investigate Dr Patel's two-year employment.

Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said Interpol had been contacted and five Queensland detectives were already on the case.

More charges were likely to be added as all patient records are scanned to find the strongest case.

"It would seem to me that it would be extremely regrettable if we went to an extradition situation and then later found there was as strong a case, or even a stronger case, that hadn't been the subject of a full brief of evidence," Mr. Atkinson told reporters.

Mr. Atkinson said Dr Patel was likely to face three to five serious charges, but it could be weeks before extradition proceedings started.

He declined to say whether police knew of Dr Patel's whereabouts.

"All I'll say to you is that we will do everything possible to locate him and I'm very, very confident that our inquiries will be successful in that regard," he said.

Dr Patel is believed to be in either Oregon in the United States, where he previously practiced, or in India, where he has relatives.

"I'm just hoping to God that it is that easy," said Beryl Crosby, who heads the Bundaberg Patients' Support Group.

"Something has got to go right with all this process."

Premier Peter Beattie said the government would act immediately to keep "charlatans like Patel out of Queensland".

All 10 of the inquiry's interim recommendations would be implemented, including new penalties of up to three years in prison for any doctors who provide false information for their registration.