Transplant surgeon harassed colleagues, tribunal hears

Dr Gilbert denies misconduct on various dates between 2009 and 2022

A transplant surgeon sexually harassed female colleagues, made racist comments and abused his senior position, a medical tribunal has heard.

The General Medical Council (GMC) shared complainants women made about the behaviour of James Gilbert, while working at Oxford Transplant Centre.

Mr Gilbert has denied misconduct on various dates between 2009 and 2022.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing sitting in Manchester is estimated to last four weeks.

Chloe Hudson, representing the GMC, said on one occasion when Mr Gilbert spoke to the first complainant, Ms A, he is said to have remarked: "You are a well put together girl.

"You must always wear matching underwear, correct? What underwear are you wearing now?"

She added that the surgeon inappropriately touched Ms A without her consent on a number of occasions including pressing his body against hers while assisting in an operation.

Ms Hudson said: "She (Ms A) says she could feel his breath on her neck and he only moved away when she mentioned the name of her partner."

He was also on another occasion said to have physically traced his finger across her body and then kept it there for several seconds as she "felt paralysed, powerless, humiliated and upset".

Ms A also spoke of receiving late-night out-of-work phone calls from Mr Gilbert which she "felt compelled to answer".

Ms Hudson said Mr Gilbert made derogatory comments to Ms A about another surgeon who he said was "terrible", "just useless" and "never going to get anywhere".

She said: "These remarks left her no doubt thinking if she didn't put up with what he was doing then her own career would also suffer."

Racist comments

Ms Hudson shared similar accounts of sexual harassment and abuse of power from three other women who worked with Mr Gilbert.

She said he told one complainant, Ms E, that he knew "a lot of people that could influence her career in later life."

The tribunal heard how Mr Gilbert is also said to have made racist comments when talking about people from Africa.

Another female colleague said she was "offended" when during an organ donor procedure in front of doctors, nurses and theatre staff from another hospital Mr Gilbert insulted an Asian patient.

Mr Gilbert denies misconduct and the tribunal continues.