Hospital suspends top heart surgeon who accused colleague of killing a patient

A major Melbourne hospital has suspended a top cardiothoracic surgeon for allegedly making “harmful” comments about a colleague he claims killed a patient.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital has suspended a heart surgeon over comments he made about a colleague. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

A major Melbourne hospital has suspended a surgeon for allegedly making “disparaging” comments about a colleague he claimed “killed a patient”, court documents have revealed.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital suspended top cardiothoracic surgeon Marco Larobina in November last year while they investigated him for “disparaging and harmful comments about another surgeon’s competence and the competence of the cardiothoracic unit”.

The allegations of a wrongful patient death – which are disputed – emerged in Federal Court, after Mr Larobina took legal action against the hospital over his suspension.

He sought an urgent order to let him return to work while he waits for his civil case against the hospital to be heard, but Justice John Snaden dismissed the application in December and noted he practised at other hospitals so could keep seeing patients until the trial.

The court heard Mr Larobina had accused a surgeon – who he had previously raised concerns about – of a “mistake” that led, or partially led, to the death of a cardiothoracic surgery patient in August 2024.

Epworth heart surgeon Mr Marco Larobina

Mr Larobina argued he was punished and suspended for exercising his workplace rights and raising complaints with senior clinicians, including telling one director the unnamed surgeon “killed the patient”.

Royal Melbourne Hospital denied these complaints triggered his suspension, and said he was under investigation for misconduct over alleged “disparaging comments to others” about the unnamed surgeon’s “competence, which had made their way back to her and caused significant distress”.

The court heard Mr Larobina, who was on leave at the time of the surgery, wrote to the then head of the unit Peter Skillington that there were “very serious issues” affecting the unit and suggested delaying his return.

Mr Larobina argued Royal Melbourne Hospital breached the Fair Work Act when – within days of the email – he was told that his surgery hours would be reduced in six weeks time.

Mr Larobina also spoke to the hospital’s Surgical Services clinical director Professor Benjamin Thomson and accused the unnamed surgeon of “having killed the patient” on the same day.

Royal Melbourne Hospital denied the rostering changes were related to Mr Larobina’s complaints and said it was to accommodate a surgeon’s return, but they were later paused after Mr Larobina hired a lawyer.

Mr Larobina argued the hospital breached the Fair Work Act when it suspended him. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

On November 8, he was asked to attend a meeting to “discuss ‘some comments” but – after some back and forth about Mr Larobina wanting more details on its purpose – it was never held.

Mr Larobina was sent a letter on November 19 suspending him with pay so “an external investigation (could be) undertaken into alleged serious misconduct, specifically conduct that is alleged to have caused serious and/or imminent risk to the health and safety of a person and the reputation of (the) RMH”.

Justice Snaden said his decision to dismiss Mr Larobina’s application was not a ruling on the case’s final outcome or the cause of the patient’s death, but found there was not enough evidence to justify overturning his suspension before the trial.

A Royal Melbourne Hospital spokeswoman said they deliver “exceptional care” and take “all workplace claims seriously”.

“As this matter is currently under investigation, we are unable to comment further at this time,” she said.

Originally published as Hospital suspends top heart surgeon who accused colleague of killing a patient