NHS boss condemns doctor who harassed female juniors

A top NHS boss has called out a "predatory" surgeon who was sanctioned by regulators for sexually harassing colleagues and trainees. Amanda Pritchard, NHS England chief executive, has condemned the "appalling behaviour" of Oxford University Hospital-based surgeon Mr James Gilbert, who was found to have sexually harassed four female colleagues.

- REBECCA THOMAS

She also announced the NHS is working on a national sexual misconduct policy that will provide workers with a route to report anonymous incidents and gain access to independent investigators.

Mr Gilbert was sanctioned by a medical practitioners tribunal service (MPTS) panel this year with an eight-month suspension. Since then the General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates doctors in the UK, has launched an appeal against the MPTS decision, calling for a harsher sanction.

The Doctors' Association, which usually represents doctors' interests, took the unprecedented move of calling for Mr Gilbert to be struck off following his actions. In a tweet on Sunday night, Ms Pritchard quoted a story detailing Mr Gilbert's wrongdoing and said: "Appalling predatory behaviour should never happen in our NHS - in settings that are supposed to be compassionate, caring and safe.

"To put it simply, sexual predators should never be allowed to work in the NHS. People who treat our colleagues that way should not be allowed to treat patients." Last year NHS England launched its "sexual safety charter" which lists several commitments for hospitals and NHS organisations to sign up to in relation to tackling sexual assault and harassment in healthcare.