Bristol doctor suspended for serious misconduct
A Medical Tribunal ruled Dr Anthony Dixon committed serious misconduct in his treatment of six women with bowel conditions
Last updated 18th Jul 2024
A Bristol doctor is being suspended from working for six months after a medical tribunal found he committed serious misconduct in relation to bowel operations carried out on several women, between 2010 and 2016.
Dr Anthony Dixon, who at the time worked at both Southmead Hospital and the private Spire Hospital in Bristol, was found guilty of various failings during a separate hearing earlier this year, including not obtaining informed consent from patients before carrying out significant operations, conducting rectal examinations without chaperones present and in one case, making an inappropriate comment about a patient's sex life.
On Tuesday (16th July) a hearing from the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service concluded those failings amounted to serious misconduct and it has now ruled that Dr Dixon should be suspended as a result.
He was sacked by the North Bristol NHS Trust in 2019 after an inquiry by the Trust found more than 200 women were harmed through unnecessary pelvic floor operations carried out between 2007 and 2017.
The full allegations considered at the Tribunal were that he:
- Failed to ensure procedures for some of the patients were clinically indicated
- Failed to adequately advise some of the patients regarding options for treatment
- Failed to obtain informed consent before performing clinical procedures
- Failed to adequately perform a procedure for one patient
- Failed to provide adequate post operative care for some of the patients
- Failed to communicate appropriately with some of the patients and their family members
Speaking on Tuesday on behalf of the General Medical Council (GMC), barrister Chloe Fairley argued several of the findings against Dr Dixon would constitute serious misconduct "in and of themselves", but failing to inform patients of the full risks associated with surgery, in particular with regard to one patient known as patient F was, "particularly significant".
Ms Fairley submitted on behalf of the GMC that performing the pelvic floor operations, which carried with them life changing risks, without informed consent, represented "particularly grave failures". Meanwhile it was also noted that a sexual comment made to a patient's partner during a clinic that he should "go home and fill her up", was unanimously considered inappropriate by a group of medical experts.
In relation to that last point Dr Dixon denied making the comment.
Announcing the six month suspension, the Tribunal ruled that Dr Dixon's misconduct was sufficiently serious for the action.
"The Tribunal was of the view that Mr Dixon's misconduct was so serious that action needed to be taken to protect members of the public, maintain public confidence in the profession and uphold and maintain proper professional standards," the written ruling reads.
The document calls a six month suspension "appropriate and proportionate".
"This period would allow Mr Dixon sufficient time to develop further insight into his actions and remediate his misconduct," it continues.
"This period of suspension would also address the public interest in this case by declaring and upholding proper standards of behaviour in the profession and by sending a signal to Mr Dixon, the wider profession and the public about conduct which is regarded as unbefitting as a registered doctor."
Tim Whittlestone, Chief Medical Officer at North Bristol NHS Trust, said: “Mr Dixon was dismissed in 2019. We have carried out a thorough and robust review of affected patients, and would like to reiterate our apology to all of these individuals.
“We note the outcome of the recent Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) hearing.”