Ex-Collingwood doctor banned after giving drugs to patient lover who later died from overdose

A former chief doctor at Collingwood has been banned for five years after prescribing opioids to a patient he was in a sexual relationship with, who later overdosed.

Dr Chris Bradshaw, who joined the Pies in 2014 after eight seasons as Geelong’s senior doctor, had his license suspended by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency since November 2017. A ruling from the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday banned him from registering as a health practitioner until October 2025.

The Tribunal heard the 58-year-old had maintained a personal and sexual relationship with a woman — referred to as ‘XY’ in the ruling — for five years after first providing her with medical treatment for a hip injury in 2008.

It was determined it should “have been apparent” to Dr Bradshaw that XY “had, or was at risk of developing, an opioid dependency”.

Between 2013 and 2016 while Dr Bradshaw was in a relationship with XY, he prescribed her with potent drugs to treat her hip pain, including OxyContin, Diazepam and Fentanyl.

Following the end of their relationship XY moved to Queensland, dying in 2017 at the age of 32.

In 2018, the state coroner concluded the woman had taken her life by ingesting a toxic amount of Fentanyl, which she was not prescribed at the time.

Bradshaw spent time at the Melbourne Football Club in the late ’80s then had a decade at Richmond before moving to London to take on a role with EPL club Fulham.

If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

For further information about depression, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.