Charlie Teo’s partner, who was once his patient, has come forward to speak after a severe accident left her needing urgent surgery for a fractured skull, while the renowned neurosurgeon was working abroad.
Traci Griffiths, a former model, sustained both a fractured skull and a broken vertebrae due to a serious fall at their home in New South Wales’ Illawarra region. At the time, Dr. Teo, aged 65, was overseas preparing for surgery on a young boy from Ethiopia in Cambodia.
This incident follows Dr. Teo’s effective ban from performing surgery in Australia after the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission’s Professional Standards Committee determined he had engaged in unsatisfactory professional conduct in July 2023.
As a result, Dr. Teo has sought opportunities to practice in countries such as China, Cambodia, Switzerland, and Spain. Griffiths noted that the ban has significantly impacted both his patients and their personal relationship.
Griffiths, who had long avoided commenting publicly on the restrictions affecting Dr. Teo’s ability to operate in Australia, revealed that her emergency surgery underscored the strain caused by their physical separation.
“There’s been a lot I’ve wanted to express, but I always chose not to add fuel to an already blazing issue,” she shared with news.com.au.
‘I’ve stayed behind the scenes, kept my head down, and reminded myself it’s not about me, even though, of course, it still affects me in ways people don’t see.
‘But watching this unfold, and watching what it’s doing to someone I care about deeply, I can’t stay silent in the same way anymore.’
Ms Griffiths opened up about the struggles Dr Teo has been facing in an interview
Dr Teo has been working under strict conditions since August 2021 and could face a permanent ban from practising medicine in Australia. The surgeon said he recently returned from working overseas to find auditors examining his files.
The surgeon believes he is under scrutiny over allegations he provided medical advice to patients while in Australia, as well as concerns about record-keeping.
The allegations that Dr Teo had engaged in unsatisfactory professional conduct related to two patients with aggressive brain tumours who underwent radical surgery in 2018 and 2019.
Both patients were slow to regain consciousness after surgery and later died.
The committee found Dr Teo operated in circumstances where Australian expert witnesses believed the risks outweighed the possible benefits.
It also found he had not obtained adequate informed consent.
Dr Teo now requires written approval from an independent neurosurgeon with at least 15 years’ experience before operating on recurrent malignant brain tumours and brainstem gliomas in Australia.
That neurosurgeon must be chosen and approved by the Medical Council.
Charlie Teo’s glampartner Traci Griffiths was rushed to hospital after suffering a horrific fall in her home
Dr Teo rushed back to Australia following the surgery to be at his partner’s side
Dr Teo is also required to keep detailed patient logs, including travel information and case details, and submit those records to the Medical Council each month.
Despite the conditions, Australian patients have continued to contact him for help.
Ms Griffiths said it had been difficult to watch the impact on her partner’s reputation and that the ramifications of a permanent ban went far beyond the surgeon himself.
She also warned it could make other surgeons more cautious when treating complex cases where bold decisions may be required.
Ms Griffiths said Dr Teo would continue operating and helping patients even if that meant working outside Australia.
The former model began her relationship with Dr Teo after he was already under intense public scrutiny. The surgeon operated on Ms Griffiths twice after she was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2011.
She described the neurosurgeon as driven, intelligent, compassionate and grounded, and said he was not easily influenced by public criticism.
However, she said she had seen the emotional strain of the controversy firsthand.
The former model (pictured) required surgery after fracturing her skull in the fall
Ms Griffiths (pictured) said the allegations against Dr Teo had taken a toll on their relationship
Dr Teo could be deeply affected by negative public commentary, she said, but often responded by throwing himself into his work.
Ms Griffiths said there were nights where the stress was physical in nature, but that he remained resilient and focused on what he believed mattered.
She said Dr Teo appeared calm rather than nervous before major operations and had the ability to separate emotion from the demands of surgery.
Dr Teo’s overseas work schedule means they spend less time together, but Ms Griffiths said that had made the time they do share more deliberate and valued.
