Dr Matthew Peter Sellen suspended, and the Challenges of Psychiatric Care in Canberra
Former Canberra psychiatrist Dr Matthew Peter Sellen was temporarily suspended by AHPRA following multiple patient complaints about communication and continuity of care. Learn what the case reveals about psychiatric service gaps and regulatory action in Australia.
He is presently practising with conditions.
Conditions of Dr Sellen’s Practice. Source: AHPRA
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Background: Dr Matthew Peter Sellen’s Canberra Practice
Until early 2023, Dr Matthew Peter Sellen practised psychiatry in Canberra, focusing on neurodivergent conditions such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and gender divergence. His private practice, The Centre for Neurodivergence, was established in 2018 and gained a reputation for empathetic clinical style but mounting administrative difficulties.
By early 2023, according to The Canberra Times and subsequent discussions across Canberra community forums, many patients and staff reported challenges contacting Dr Sellen for medication renewals, reports, and essential paperwork. These disruptions had serious consequences for patients relying on controlled Schedule 8 ADHD medications, which can only be prescribed under specialist authority.
AHPRA Investigation and Interim Suspension
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) confirmed that restrictions were first imposed on Dr Sellen’s registration in early 2023. Under these conditions, he could practise only under mentorship, with mandatory education on communication, documentation, and practice management.
However, on 15 July 2023, AHPRA announced that Dr Sellen had been suspended from practising as a psychiatrist in Australia pending completion of its investigation. The agency emphasised that such action does not imply final disciplinary findings but reflects a serious-risk or public-interest threshold.
AHPRA’s spokesperson explained that National Boards may act when they reasonably believe a practitioner’s behaviour, performance, or health poses a serious risk to public safety, or when it is in the public interest—for instance, where patients are left without access to care or prescriptions.
“Immediate action is always an interim measure while the Board continues its investigation.”
— AHPRA/National Boards statement (July 2023)
Impact on Patients and Community
Many former patients publicly described the consequences of losing psychiatric support overnight. Several posts on the r/Canberra community documented lost prescriptions, stalled disability applications, and emotional distress when Dr Sellen’s Canberra practice ceased operations.
“I was on a waitlist for nine months for an ADHD assessment. Two hours before my appointment, I was told it was cancelled because a family member had COVID—and then I never heard from him again,” one patient wrote.
(Source: Reddit r/Canberra, 2023)
Another reported losing access to essential documentation for employment and disability-support applications. Others described difficulty obtaining their medical records or transitioning to alternative care providers.
The Canberra and Queanbeyan ADD Support Group confirmed an influx of urgent inquiries from stranded patients. Its secretary, Beryl Gover, stated that missing ADHD medication can lead to loss of employment, relationship strain, and financial instability.
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Statements from Professional Representatives
The Australian Medical Association (AMA ACT) branch president, Dr Walter Abhayaratna, spoke on Dr Sellen’s behalf, acknowledging personal challenges and the lack of structural support for solo practitioners in high-demand mental-health services.
“[Dr Sellen’s] needs were so great. Despite his efforts to address them, there was no support that would allow him to address his needs. He continued to work at a time where his demands were exceeding his capacity to actually do the right thing by patients.”
— Dr Walter Abhayaratna, AMA ACT (2023)
Systemic Shortages and Structural Failures
Canberra faces one of Australia’s most acute shortages of psychiatrists. Long waiting lists and high assessment fees—often exceeding $1,000 for ADHD evaluation—force many residents to seek telehealth or Sydney-based specialists.
When a sole practitioner like Dr Sellen becomes unavailable, the ripple effects are immediate and severe:
Interrupted prescriptions for Schedule 8 medications;
Breakdowns in disability or insurance certification processes;
Loss of continuity for vulnerable neurodivergent patients;
Overload on general practitioners attempting to fill the gap.
As one Reddit contributor noted, “arrangements for continuity of care are essential—and were lacking from Dr Sellen.”
Public Discussion and Divergent Views
Public sentiment regarding Dr Sellen remains divided. Some patients described him as disorganised or inattentive, while others called him “the most empathetic psychiatrist [they] had ever met.” This divergence underscores the complexity of evaluating medical professionals whose strengths in empathy may coexist with administrative failings—especially within overstretched mental-health systems.
Regulatory Context and Comparable Cases
Dr Sellen’s suspension is one among several high-profile AHPRA actions over recent years. Comparable cases include:
Dr Petru-Emanuel Dascalita (Sunshine Coast QLD), suspended by the Office of the Health Ombudsman for breaches of practice conditions.
Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba (UK), whose temporary removal sparked debate about systemic accountability versus individual blame.
Dr Nalin Perera (NSW), whose registration was suspended following default on conditions of practice.
These examples reinforce that suspension decisions are multifactorial—arising not only from alleged misconduct but from system-level vulnerabilities, personal health crises, and resource deficits.
(See: Ahpra and National Boards – Immediate Action Guidelines)
Legal and Consumer Rights Perspective
Patients left without care have avenues for redress through consumer and professional channels:
AHPRA Complaint: Formal notification of practitioner conduct or abandonment.
ACT Human Rights Commission (Health Services Commissioner): Systemic complaint for service disruption.
Office of Fair Trading (ACT): Possible consumer claim if services were paid for but not rendered.
Civil claims (e.g. ACAT small claims) for fees or out-of-pocket losses.
Patients should retain payment records, correspondence, and clinical notes when available. Legal practitioners specialising in health-law and professional-discipline matters can assist with these processes.
Moving Forward: Restoring Trust in the Mental-Health System
The Sellen case demonstrates how easily fragile systems fracture when a single practitioner bears too much clinical and administrative burden. The key lessons include:
Early intervention by regulatory bodies when signs of burnout emerge;
Better practice-management support for solo psychiatrists;
Transparent communication with patients when services close;
Integrated data systems enabling smooth transfer of prescribing authorities.
Without these safeguards, future disruptions will continue to harm vulnerable patient populations.
Contact
If you have been affected by practitioner suspension, abrupt service withdrawal, or are navigating an AHPRA or health-law matter, Dr Rosemary Listing offers free legal consultations.
Seek legal advice promptly.
Dr Rosemary Listing
Health Law Specialist
Reframe Legal & Peter Evans and Associates
📍 Newcastle NSW | Serving clients nationwide
📧 rlisting@evanslaw.com.au
📞 (02) 4926 4788
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Matthew Peter Sellen, AHPRA suspension, Canberra psychiatrist, ADHD assessment Australia, health law, mental health regulation, patient rights, doctor suspension Australia.
Categories
Health Law | Medical Regulation | Professional Discipline | Public Interest Cases
