Doctor suspended for harassing married colleague

Rebecca Alia Lobo has been told her behaviour amounted to misconduct and her fitness to practise was impaired

A doctor who sent hundreds of personal messages to a married colleague has been suspended.

Rebecca Alia Lobo "harassed" a consultant – known as Dr A – at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, according the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.

On one occasion the Ipswich-based medic sent Dr A 130 text messages over two days after he refused gifts in the form of a leather bag and her childhood doll.

Following a misconduct hearing a panel determined that Ms Lobo's conduct amounted to harassment and suspended her for an initial six months before a review.

"Your fitness to practise is impaired because of your misconduct," the report read.

Ms Lobo sent hundreds of messages to her colleague while working at Ipswich Hospital

The panel heard how Ms Lobo accessed the medical records of Dr A and his wife - known as Dr B - who is a specialty doctor, without justification.

Ms Lobo sent Dr A more than 275 WhatsApp messages about personal matters and her private life, insisting the two communicate in Dr A's language of birth.

Ms Lobo also sent him photos, initiated shift swaps so they could work together, offered to work shifts without payment and followed him around the department.

In order to be close to Dr A, she would visit wards where he was working even when she was not required to do so and repeatedly requested work meetings with him, the report found.

She would also stare at Dr B for prolonged periods of time.

In March 2024, whilst no longer employed by the trust, she looked through the outside window into a consultants' room where she knew Dr A worked.

"Your conduct amounted to harassment when you knew, or ought to have known, that your conduct amounted to harassment," the report added.

The East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust confirmed to the BBC that Ms Lobo no longer works for the trust and, therefore, would not comment.