Surgeon’s 8-month suspension for sexual harassment ‘not sufficient’, says GMC

Library image. Credit: Getty/Morsa Images

By Jeremy Stern & Sarah Lowden

The sanction handed to a surgeon found to have sexually harassed female colleagues is “not sufficient to protect the public”, the General Medical Council has said, as it confirmed it has appealed against the ruling.

James Gilbert was given an 8-month suspension last month by the independent Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, after he was found to have sexually harassed four women, three of whom were surgical trainees at the time. The MPTS panel accepted he inappropriately touched three of the women and “abused his senior position”.