Surgeon struck off for grabbing colleague's breast

A cardiothoracic surgeon has been struck off the medical register after he sexually harassed a female colleague.

A medical tribunal found Fabrizio De Rita, formerly of the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, had "pinged" his victim's bra strap and grabbed her breast while at work.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) said "there had been a clear progression in the seriousness" of Mr De Rita's behaviour towards his junior colleague, between May 2022 and January 2023.

The Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said its staff had the "right to feel safe" at work and it had a "zero-tolerance approach" to "harmful sexual behaviours".

His actions included pulling his victim's chair towards him against her wishes and making inappropriate hand gestures towards her, the MPTS said.

Many of his actions were "sexually motivated", it added.

Debi Gould, the tribunal chair, said there had been "no evidence of repetition" since the investigation began but she "could not be satisfied that Mr De Rita did not pose a significant risk of repeating the behaviour".

This was because Mr De Rita had not engaged with the hearing and his current behaviour could not be monitored as he had been suspended by the trust.

The tribunal also said he had shown no evidence of "insight, regret or apology" for his actions.

The MPTS did take into account comments Mr De Rita made during an investigation carried out by the trust in February and May 2023.

At the time, he said he "had not intended to cause any upset" and would apologise if he had.

But the tribunal said this did not amount to an acknowledgment of the misconduct and determined his written statement to be "primarily self-centred and focused on the impact of the regulatory proceedings on himself".

Ms Gould said his actions were "impulsive and opportunistic" rather than "planned or specifically sought out".

On reaching its decision to strike Mr De Rita from the medical register, the tribunal said a lesser punishment of suspension would not "sufficiently protect patients".

A spokesperson for Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "As a signatory of NHS England’s Sexual Safety in Healthcare charter, we have committed to take appropriate action in all cases regardless of the seniority or role of the perpetrator.

"The day after the complaint was received, Mr De Rita was suspended from work pending investigation.

"He has not worked in Newcastle Hospitals since that date."

Follow BBC Newcastle on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].