Dr William Vasily Braun: Court documents reveal the accusations levelled against Queensland surgeon
A list of 23 accusations denied by a suspended Queensland surgeon described by colleagues as a “sociopath” include claims of inappropriate behaviour, tantrums and insults, as The Courier-Mail can reveal details of email exchanges and statements tabled in Parliament over the matters.
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A QUEENSLAND surgeon who made headlines over claims he dropped his dacks in the operating theatre to be measured for a new suit, has been accused of a pattern of unprofessional behaviour by colleagues, court documents state.
The alleged incidents involving William Vasily Braun, 44, a weight-loss surgeon from Hamilton, have been outlined in more than 600 pages of documents filed in the Supreme Court in Brisbane as part of Dr Braun’s bid to return to work at Metro North Hospital and Health Service (Metro North).
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LIST OF 23 ACCUSATIONS LEVELLED AT DR BRAUN
Doc accused of dack drop slammed as ‘sociopath’
Dr Braun denies the allegations and says he is being unfairly targeted. He claims he is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars each month.
READ WILLIAM BRAUN LAWYERS’ LEGAL LETTER TO METRO NORTH
Dr Braun was suspended from Metro North on February 27 while the Office of the Health Ombudsman investigates claims made in state parliament by nine surgical colleagues, including four top surgeons.
His suspension by Metro North also prompted private operator Ramsay Health Care “to effectively suspend” Dr Braun’s surgical lists until he has access to overnight intensive care units.
Even though he is suspended on full pay, Dr Braun claims as part of his court case to have lost $1.125m in income so far this year, and claims he loses $200,0000 per month when he cant do surgery at Ramsay hospitals, and $50,000 per month from private surgery sessions at Metro North.
The damning accusations tendered in parliament include colleagues calling him a sociopath, a bully, a danger to his patients and a sexual harasser.
Confidential investigation reports filed in court describe him as a tyrannical dictator who screams and has tantrums in surgery who bullies trainees and makes them cry.
Dr Braun denies these claims and says in court documents that his colleagues lodged the statements in parliament after he made a formal complaint against his former trainee surgeon at Redcliffe Hospital, who earlier complained that Dr Braun harassed her while she was training in 2012.
Dr Braun alleges Dr Hobbins King “encouraged” the chair of general surgery at the prestigious Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital, Nicholas O’Rourke, to email Metro North’s executive director of surgery Jason Jenkins on August 9, 2016 to complain about Dr Braun.
Dr Hobbins King allegedly told Dr O’Rourke about her “serial unpleasant harassment” by Dr Braun in 2012 and failure of an “official inquiry” by Metro North in 2014 to “do anything” to stop Dr Braun.
Dr Hobbins King is alleged to have asked male surgical colleagues at “colorectal club meetings” in 2018: “How is it possible that you guys have done nothing to stop him working in this town?”.
“What he did was awful, and he goes around unpunished,” Dr Hobbins King is alleged to have told her colleagues, court documents state.
In his email, Dr O’Rourke allegedly told Dr Jenkins that despite “an official enquiry” by Metro North into Dr Braun’s behaviour in 2014 “nothing was done...save ‘we better keep female trainees away from him”.
Dr Braun denies any suggestion that female surgical trainees have been barred from working with him despite a health official who allocates work to trainees telling parliament they just stopped sending women surgical trainees to Redcliffe because of complaints, court documents state.
READ THE STATEMENTS TABLED IN QLD PARLIAMENT REGARDING WILLIAM BRAUN
“I feel like Im sending lambs to the slaughter. I have stopped allocating female trainees (to Redcliffe) already,” the hospital executive says in court documents.
Dr O’Rourke also sent an email to top hospital executives saying he was “very upset” at the prospect of female trainees giving up surgery, saying: “I wish to protect the young women, already traumatised by their experiences at your hospital” he wrote.
READ THE EMAIL FROM DR NICK O’ROURKE
Dr Braun alleges Dr O’Rouke’s 9 August 2016 email to Dr Jenkins triggered “an ‘all new’ investigation” into his conduct because it was allegedly forwarded to “every possible party” in Brisbane’s high-flying surgical circles including the RACS president and the state’s general surgery board, and General Surgeons Australia.
He claims un-named hospital executives conveyed “unlawful offers” for him to “quietly resign” from Redcliffe hospital -- that he refused.
Dr Braun alleges in court documents that bullying by surgeons is only “scrutinised .. in select cases” and he argues he has been targeted by Dr Hobbins King who he accused of harassing and bullying and defaming him to other surgeons during monthly “colorectal journal club” meetings at upmarket Brisbane restaurants last year, at parties, on social media and in the operating theatre.
The club meetings were at Blackhide restaurant, 1889 Enoteca, the Norman Hotel, The Greek Club, Urbane restaurant and E’cco Bistro in Newstead.
He claims Dr Hobbins King discussed Dr Braun with John Lumley “one of the most senior surgeons at the Wesley Hospital” as well as consultants at Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital, St Andrew’s War Memorial and Holy Spirit Northside private hospital.
Dr Braun alleges Dr Hobbins King told surgeons at one meeting: “I can’t believe William Braun, this scumbag, is still employed and working at Redcliffe and other Brisbane facilities after what he has done”.
Dr Braun claims that Dr Hobbins King has “painted an absolutely untruthful and disparaging picture of my person and attacked” his character to “numerous senior colleagues”.
Dr Braun claims in court documents that his colleague, Andrew Riddell, a colorectal surgeon at Redcliffe hospital, told him that he was “portrayed as a sexual deviant by the people he worked with at Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital.
“He was pleasantly surprised when he met me realising that it is not the case,” Dr Braun alleges.
Dr Braun has support from the director of surgery at Redcliffe hospital Roderick Borrowdale who allegedly says Braun is “receptive, patient and constructive and supportive” to junior staff.
Dr Borrowdale is alleged to have said that Dr Braun’s behaviour has noticeably improved since complaints about his interactions with staff were investigated by Metro North and the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency in 2013 and 2014.
“Dr Braun recognises and accepts that his behaviour at times (which led to the investigations by Metro North and AHPRA between 2013 and 205) was below the standard it should have been,” Dr Braun’s lawyer states in court documents.
Dr Braun did a training course focused on dealing with difficult interactions with colleagues, court documents state.
“My earlier behaviour as a surgical supervisor was reflective of the surgical culture of the time,” Dr Braun says in court documents.
“I was at times tough and overly critical towards underperforming registrars and could have handled numerous situations with more patience, professionalism and in better style”.
“I have since then completely changed my attitude and conduct towards others”.
In September 2015, the Medical Board of Australia found Dr Braun’s conduct amounted to unprofessional conduct but decided to take no further action, court documents state.
Dr Braun argues the dozens of allegations tabled in parliament by his colleagues have either been found to be unsubstantiated, or already dealt with, or relate to incidents or people outside Metro North or are allegations which even if they were true are not bad enough to warrant suspension.
He has been accused of rubbing up against female trainee surgeon’s genitals while showing them how to do a colonoscopy. He denies this took place.
One had to “accidentally” elbow him in the groin, court documents state. But Dr Braun says this never happened.
Dr Braun’s case returns to court on December 9 where lawyers for Metro North have asked the court to throw-out Dr Braun’s case, or put it on hold.
THE ACCUSATIONS
In the court documents, Dr Braun has been accused of:
1Putting his hands around Dr Christine Sessler’s throat at Redcliffe Hospital on Christmas Day 2012 after she asked him to operate on a patient. Dr Braun denies. Medical Board found unsubstantiated.
2 Dropping his pants in an operating theatre at North West Private Hospital in front of nurses and medical reps, and stood in undies while his leg was measured for a suit. Dr Braun denies this occurred.
3 Telling Dr Sessler that a medical student had a “really nice ass” in 2012 or 2013. Denied. Medical Board found unsubstantiated.
4 Offering a female medical staffer sexual encounters by text message at night while he drove past her house, and inappropriately touching her between the buttocks. Denied.
5 Whispering “You operate like a retard, don’t you” in the ear of a trainee surgeon at Redcliffe Hospital while they operated. Denied.
6 Ringing trainee surgeons in the middle of the night, drunk and swearing at them.
7 Rubbing up against female trainees as he taught them colonoscopy. Trainee had to “accidentally” elbow him in the groin. Denied.
8 Requesting naked photos of Dr Sessler’s sister “or risk failing (blackmail)”. Denied.
9 Showing Dr Sessler a text message containing the German word for cock. Denied.
10 Calling trainee surgeon Teong Chuah a “little prick” and mimicking him, and deliberately provoking other trainees. Accusation denied. Workplace harassment of five trainee surgeons was substantiated.
11 Screaming frequently at trainees in surgery, Denied says he raises his voice.
12 Having tantrums in theatre, jumping up and down. Denied.
13 Trying to grope a trainee surgeon’s breasts. denied.
14 Doing a “face-off” just centimetres from junior surgeon’s face while poking his index finger into the man’s chest “Never, ever transfer one of my patients to the f***ing Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital again”. Denied.
15 Telling a junior surgeon “you’ve got fat”. Denied
16 Telling a trainee surgeon her legs were ugly. Denied.
17 Asking a trainee surgeon to touch his leg muscle. Denied.
18 Asking a trainee surgeon whether her partner was “the dark fat guy” in photos. Denied
19 Telling trainee surgeon her partner was “fat, ugly and bald”. denied.
20 Telling junior female doctor “You’ve got fat”. Denied
21 Telling trainee: “What are you? retarded?” Denied.
22Making trainee surgeons cry with verbal tirades and “baiting them” to get a response. Denied, says he is trying to make them better surgeons
23 Telling investigators “Residents sabotage my day and waste my time... so I thought why would I spend my time teaching them”.
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