Top Heart Surgeon Struck Off for S3xual Harassment and Groping Colleague
A renowned heart surgeon, Fabrizio De Rita, who performed lifesaving surgeries on children, has been struck off the UK medical register for s3xually harassing and groping a colleague.
During a disciplinary hearing, it was revealed that De Rita had grabbed a female colleague’s bre@st over her scrubs and bra, an act the panel described as potentially criminal s3xual ass@ult. Over an eight-month period, he repeatedly harassed the woman, leading to his permanent ban from practicing as a doctor in the UK.
De Rita, who was a consultant pediatric surgeon at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, had a reputation for performing critical heart transplants on infants. However, he was found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) for s3xually harassing a colleague and abusing his position of authority.
The panel, chaired by Debi Gould, stated that De Rita’s actions demonstrated a “failure to respect the dignity of another colleague,” which constituted s3xual harassment. The misconduct occurred between May 2022 and January 2023 and included inappropriate gestures, pulling the colleague’s chair towards him in a meeting, sending WhatsApp messages, “pinging her bra strap,” and grabbing her left bre@st.
Though most allegations were proven, the tribunal did not find sufficient evidence for one alleged gesture and the claim that moving the chair was s3xually motivated. Nevertheless, De Rita’s actions were deemed an abuse of his senior role within the hospital’s prestigious cardiothoracic department.
After working at the hospital for over a decade, De Rita was suspended by the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust the day after the complaint was made. The tribunal concluded that his behavior made him unfit to practice, and striking him off was the only appropriate response given the severity of his misconduct, his lack of insight, and the high risk of repeating such behavior.
In a statement, the tribunal emphasized the aggravating factor of De Rita’s abuse of his senior position, noting that professional colleagues have the right to expect dignity and respect at work. De Rita, as a senior and experienced doctor, should have set a better example.
A January inspection report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) highlighted ongoing issues within the hospital’s cardiothoracic department, including s3xism, bullying, and inappropriate behavior.
Following De Rita’s dismissal, a spokesperson for the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust reiterated their commitment to maintaining a safe and supportive work environment, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of inappropriate behavior, regardless of the perpetrator’s seniority.
