Doctor licked beer off colleague, tribunal hears

A doctor accused of pouring beer down a younger colleague's cleavage before licking it off and touching her breasts has been suspended for a year.

Dr Mark Johnson, who was working at West Suffolk Hospital at the time of the incident, also allegedly sent "derogatory and sexually demeaning" messages to another junior colleague.

Some of these messages included comments about the size of his colleague's breasts, sex positions and oral sex, a tribunal was told.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPT) said some of Dr Johnson's actions constituted sexual harassment and suspended him from practising for 12 months.

During the hearing the General Medical Council (GMC) representative argued Dr Johnson should be banned indefinitely from the profession.

The MPT panel, however, concluded his "conduct was not persistent nor was it a pattern of predatory behaviour" and that he was "capable of remediation".

Dr Johnson joined West Suffolk Hospital as a consultant in 2013, before leaving 10 years later following disciplinary proceedings.

The panel heard he sent sexual and inappropriate messages to a junior colleague about other colleagues between November 2018 and November 2019.

During a work Christmas party in December 2022, Dr Johnson moved his hand up and down a colleague's back, blew smoke from a vape in her face and kissed her.

Then he was said to have tipped some of his drink onto the junior colleague's cleavage before licking it from her skin.

The GMC suggested this was "a grave violation" of her "dignity", while the MPT said his actions were "sexually motivated and constituted sexual harassment".

The MPT ruled the conduct of Dr Johnson, who is now employed at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, was "inherently serious, deliberate, and sexually motivated".

While it concluded his fitness to practise was impaired, it said he had "developed meaningful insight" and "embedded sustainable behavioural change".

Dr Richard Goodwin, the medical director at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We referred Dr Johnson to the GMC following an internal process, prompted by reports of potential sexual misconduct.

"We're committed to eradicating sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace by promoting a culture that fosters openness and transparency, and never tolerates unwanted, harmful or inappropriate sexual behaviours."

The Royal Sussex County Hospital has been contacted for comment.