A former Wangaratta doctor has been disqualified from applying for medical registration after a VCAT tribunal found his inappropriate conduct towards seven junior female colleagues amounted to professional misconduct. Leslie Bolitho, 76, was reprimanded, disqualified and barred from seeking reinstatement for 12 months after a VCAT tribunal hearing in September. Late last year multiple incidents of Dr Bolitho inappropriately touching and staring towards junior doctors at Northeast Health Wangaratta between 2014 and 2018 were found proven. The inappropriate acts involved seven junior female colleagues and touching of their backs, shoulders, legs, bottoms and one junior doctor’s breast. During the September hearing, the tribunal found that Dr Bolitho acted with a sexual purpose. "There was a very significant power imbalance between Dr Bolitho and the junior practitioners, who were at various stages of their training," they said. "The proven conduct undermined the confidence of the public in the profession and was contrary to community expectation of the standards of the profession. "The profession needs to understand that such serious misconduct will not be accepted." The victims were undertaking various levels of training on rotation from the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Northeast Health Wangaratta. The prosecuting medical board argued instances of the touching of two junior doctors were carried out intentionally, for a sexual purpose, and could be classified as sexual assault. They also said a majority of the behaviour would likely be considered unlawful sexual harassment. An investigation into the acts last year heard victims felt shocked, uncomfortable and sexually harassed throughout the various incidents. The medical board submitted that Dr Bolitho denied the behaviour, focused on the impact of the matter on him, accused persons in the profession of “having it in for him” and blamed cultural differences between the city and country. “Dr Bolitho’s responses indicate a sense of entitlement,” the board submitted. The VCAT tribunal accepted some admissions and remorse was shown by Dr Bolitho to some of the conduct, and he had undertaken an online ethics and professional conduct course, but limited insight was given into his behaviour. "There was no reflective statement indicating what Dr Bolitho had learnt nor was there any report from a psychologist or treating practitioner as to Dr Bolitho's progress,” they said. “The conduct therefore cannot be described as a single lapse in judgment or an isolated misunderstanding by Dr Bolitho. "The tribunal is comfortably satisfied that the proven conduct ... is inconsistent with Dr Bolitho being a fit and proper person to hold registration in the profession." In March 2020, the Sexual Boundaries Committee of the Medical Board of Australia banned Dr Bolitho from practicing in a public or private hospital until the matter was resolved. He retired as a visiting medical officer at Northeast Health Wangaratta in August 2020, where he had worked since 1983. Dr Bolitho is a former Associate Professor at Melbourne University, president of the Royal Australian College of Physicians and an OAM member for services as a clinician, educator and clinic researcher. He has also been recognised for championing numerous new and improved health services in the region and contributing his time freely in local health services in the North East.
