Public Statement - Ms Fay Fain – Naturopath - Permanent Prohibition Order

17 December 2021

The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (Commission) conducted an investigation into Ms Fay Fain, Naturopath, an unregistered health practitioner and director of Detoxologie, which was located at Eastgate Shopping Centre, 71 Spring St, Bondi Junction.

The Commission received a number of complaints regarding care and treatment provided by Ms Fain. The complaints included that two clients (Clients A and B) had been transported to St Vincent's Hospital emergency department with fever, hypotension, acute kidney injury and systemic inflammatory response after IV infusions given at Detoxologie on 2 December 2020.

The Commission’s investigation found that Ms Fain administered the IV infusions to Clients A and B on 2 December 2020 when she was not trained or qualified to do so and without supervision of a medical practitioner or registered nurse.

Ms Fain also failed to recognise, or appreciate, the seriousness of the conditions of Clients A and B when they suffered increasingly serious adverse reactions to the IV infusions and ultimately required hospitalisation, she failed to adequately care and treat Client A and Client B in this respect, and failed to appreciate the urgency of the assistance required from appropriately trained professionals.

The Commission further considers Ms Fain failed to obtain emergency assistance in a timely fashion.

Ms Fain also does not appear to have any meaningful insight with respect to the serious risk to the health and safety of Clients A and B as a result of her conduct.

Accordingly, the Commission has made a public warning pursuant to section 94A of the Health Care Complaints Act 1993 (Act) with respect to Detoxologie, and makes the following permanent prohibition order under section 41A(2)(a) of the Health Care Complaints Act 1993 (Act):

Ms Fay Fain, a Naturopath, is permanently prohibited from providing any health services, either in paid employment or voluntarily, to any member of the public.

For the purposes of this order, a health services carries the same meaning as defined under section 4 of the Act.

Further Information

Access the Commission’s Statement of Decision here. 

Access to the Commission's media release here.