Bristol consultant patted woman's bottom in hospital lift, hearing told

Tony Dixon worked at Southmead Hospital in Bristol and the privately-run Spire Hospital in the city

A surgeon patted the bottom of a female patient in a hospital lift and later told her husband to "go home and fill her up", a medical tribunal has heard.

Consultant Tony Dixon is said to have behaved inappropriately more than a week after he performed colorectal surgery on the woman.

He appeared at a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing in Manchester earlier, where he is accused of misconduct in relation to six patients.

Mr Dixon denies the allegations.

In May 2022, North Bristol NHS Trust admitted more than 200 patients had been given unnecessary bowel operations by Mr Dixon.

A review found dozens of people had suffered harm after the consultant gave them pelvic floor surgery using artificial mesh, a technique he had pioneered.

He worked at the trust's Southmead Hospital and also at the private Spire Hospital in the city during the time of the allegations, between 2010 and 2016.

Mr Dixon, who was dismissed in 2019, has always maintained the operations were done in good faith, and that any surgery could have complications.

'Severe pain'

The tribunal was told that a woman, known as Patient B, attended Spire Hospital in July 2016 for revision of a LVMR procedure (laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy).

Chloe Fairley, for the General Medical Council (GMC), said following the operation Mr Dixon made remarks to Patient B that he "could have made her pregnant on the operating table".

Patient B was discharged four days after surgery but returned with her husband days later in "severe pain".

Ms Fairley said when Mr Dixon arrived and saw them, he called Patient B "a drama queen" and added: "It can't be all that bad."

The woman's husband said the doctor was "dismissive" of her complaints and he was alarmed by the words he used, the tribunal heard.

Ms Fairley said: "After a few hours, Patient B recovered sufficiently for her pain to be managed and for her to return home.

"As she entered the lift she said Mr Dixon patted her on the bottom and this was witnessed by her husband.

"During the final consultation with Mr Dixon, he asked whether they were having sex and they said they were not, and said it was painful after the first procedure.

"He told Patient B's husband to go home and fill her up."

'Unacceptable'

The tribunal heard that Mr Dixon is said to have failed to ensure the procedure was clinically indicated, in that he did not arrange all necessary tests and investigations beforehand.

He also allegedly did not obtain informed consent and failed to provide adequate post-operative care.

It is also said that Mr Dixon's professional performance was deemed as unacceptable by independent GMC assessors in November and December 2018.

His assessment and clinical management of pelvic floor patients was said to be below standard, as was his working relationships with colleagues, especially his "disrespectful" behaviour to junior colleagues.

The hearing, scheduled to last until late November, continues.