Surgeon and Labour MP Anthony Zammit has been cleared of kicking a nurse during an operation after an investigating board found that no one from the surgical team had witnessed such an incident.

“I’m extremely satisfied with the decision – I always said I never did anything wrong,” Mr Zammit said when contacted.

The case was taken before the Public Service Commission after a nurse accused Mr Zammit of kicking her left foot and shouting at her during an operation at Mater Dei Hospital on May 20.

The nurse, who had graduated just three months earlier, was assigned for the second time with Mr Zammit’s team for a thyroidectomy – an operation where all or part of the thyroid gland, which is found in the throat, is removed.

She told the board that when medical staff had finished preparing and positioning the patient for the operation, the patient’s gown was pulled down, leaving her breasts exposed.

When she went to pull up the gown, she alleged Mr Zammit started shouting, “no, not like that”, before saying nurses should be taught the proper procedures before being assigned to operating theatres.

She further claimed that Mr Zammit kicked her left foot. Ten minutes into the operation, he then kicked a bucket in her direction, she added.

Embarrassed by it all, she retreated to the back of the operating theatre and started crying.

Mr Zammit said in his testimony that in trying to cover up the patient, the nurse actually moved her after the team had carefully positioned her before the procedure.

He said the operation was complicated since the patient was overweight, suffered from arthritis and had a condition known as bull neck. All these factors made it difficult to prepare the patient and Mr Zammit finally used her gown to keep her positioned correctly. When the nurse tried to cover her up, she removed the restraint, and on seeing this he shouted at her.

Mr Zammit then complained that nurses should be taught operating theatre procedures before being assigned to assist surgeons. He categorically denied kicking the nurse or the bucket in her direction.

Four medical professionals present in the operating theatre said they did not see Mr Zammit kick a nurse or a bucket at her. They heard him shout but did not describe it as arrogant or abusive, saying it was directed towards the training system.

One nurse was in another room and did not hear what Mr Zammit said while a second nurse, who was standing opposite, heard him shout and saw the nurse later move back to the operating theatre in tears. But she never saw Mr Zammit kick her or the bucket in her direction.

She then went to the nurse and told her not to feel embarrassed as everyone in the theatre was told off at some point in time. However, the nurse soon left.

Seven people, including Mr Zammit who was represented by lawyer Robert Abela, testified before the board which was presided over by Edward Borg, Godfrey Laferla and Alex Aquilina.

In their decision, they said none of the charges could be substantiated and found him not guilty.

The board’s decision confirmed Mr Zammit’s credibility, honesty and professional integrity, the Labour Party said in a statement.