Francesco Hill suspended from nursing after sexually harassing multiple women

A man has been suspended from working in the health sector after he sexually harassed multiple women while working at three hospitals on the NSW south coast. Warning: some readers may find this content distressing.

A former nurse at three NSW south coast hospitals has been barred from working in the health sector after he sexually harassed multiple women. Picture: Supplied

A former nurse who worked at three NSW south coast hospitals has been barred from working in the health sector after he sexually harassed multiple women.

Francesco “Frank” Hill was brought before the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) by the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) in September 2024 after eight female staff members came forward with allegations of Hill harassing or sexually harassing them.

The allegations occurred between 2016 and 2022 while he was working as a registered nurse at Nowra Private Hospital, Wollongong Private Hospital and Wollongong Public Hospital.

The findings of the NCAT hearing were handed down on May 19.

Tribunal documents state one woman said Hill, while working at the Wollongong Private Hospital in June or July 2020, had pulled her ponytail and said words to the effect of “you look like the type of girl who enjoys that in the bedroom”.

Frank Hill was a registered nurse at Wollongong Private, Wollongong Public and Nowra Private Hospitals between 2016 and 2022. Picture: Supplied

Another woman said Hill propositioned her in September 2020 by saying words to the effect of “I hate my wife, and you hate your husband. I’ve wanted to leave (my wife) for years. I would leave her for someone else. I’m looking for a friend with benefits”.

The same woman said in October 2020 Hill entered her office and shut the door behind him before removing his pants.

The next month, she said he made an unwanted comment on her breasts saying “you never told me you got your boobs done. You have really nice boobs.”

A third woman said Hill made unwanted sexualised comments towards her when he sent her a photo of herself on February 6, 2022, saying the photo was “hot” and “distracting”.

A fourth woman said Hill, while working at Nowra Private Hospital in February 2022, harassed her multiple times including lifting her skirt to see a tattoo on her thigh and making unwanted sexualised comments towards her.

She said he also sexually touched her multiple times.

The other four women said Hill had made inappropriate comments towards them, or had touched them without their consent, including through hugs and hand placement.

The documents state Hill had not attended the tribunal hearing in person, and therefore did not challenge any of the evidence or allegations against him.

The tribunal found Hill had sexually harassed or inappropriately touched all eight women and had behaved unprofessionally in each instance.

Hill, who has since been deregistered as a nurse, was disqualified from being registered in the health profession for three years and was banned from providing health services until the tribunal says otherwise.

He was also ordered to pay the HCCC’s legal fees.