A victim of a sex pest surgeon is suing the NHS after warnings he was a predator were ignored. Dr Fredrick Ruzvidzo was allowed to carry on working at University Hospital Monklands, in Airdrie, despite concerns he was preying on women.
The creepy medic is now on the sex offenders' register after being convicted of forcing himself on two staff members. His medical career ended last month when he was struck off – with Ruzvidzo admitting he couldn’t guarantee he would not attack more women.
Last night, one of his victims revealed she is suing both NHS Lanarkshire and the disgraced doc, and feels he should have been stopped years before. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: "Senior staff had repeated chances to deal with Ruzvidzo even before I was attacked.
Some wanted him to go but, for unknown reasons, he remained. He was a known problem for years, for everything from inappropriate comments to unwanted advances. After I reported what happened to me, disciplinary action was taken but he was allowed to stay. Then, weeks later, he struck again."
Ruzvidzo and NHS Lanarkshire are being served papers from the National Personal Injury Court and could be forced to pay up a five-figure sum. Ruzvidzo qualified as a surgeon in Zimbabwe. He moved to the UK in 2004 and began working at Monklands in 2008.
Last year, he was convicted at Airdrie Sheriff Court over two sex assaults dating back to 2019. He was sentenced to a two-year community payback order and placed on the sex offenders' register. A medical practitioners tribunal recently heard how he tormented women at the hospital.
A nurse victim, who was repeatedly targeted by Ruzvidzo, said he tried to cuddle and kiss her, and his behaviour became progressively “touchy-feely”. In one incident, which happened while he was facing an internal investigation, he grabbed her from behind and squeezed her breast. When confronted by witnesses, he refused to leave.
The victim claimed Ruzvidzo had also asked questions about her sex life, joked about killing her husband with an overdose of insulin and “pinged” her bra strap while trying to hug her. Ruzvidzo told the tribunal he was ashamed and would “probably” never sexually assault further work colleagues but said, “No one can be 100 per cent of anything in life”.
The tribunal ruled Ruzvidzo had “demonstrated a persistent and escalating pattern of behaviour” and “there remains an ongoing risk of repetition”. The victim’s lawyer, Kim Leslie, of Digby Brown, said: “We will continue to investigate the circumstances of his disgusting attacks to ensure victims get the recognition they deserve and workplaces and processes are made safer.”
Ruzvidzo, formerly of Glasgow, could not be contacted for comment. The NHS said it cannot discuss live legal cases.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
