"We're so vulnerable anyway when we're at that junior stage in our career, and really all the way through our training we're very, very vulnerable." The ABC is also reporting that a theatre nurse told the hospital's administration in an email that: "Many of the nurses are afraid of her." "When I have to reluctantly scrub for her, I feel my performance can be compromised and I can make mistakes," the email says. On Saturday, The Age revealed Monash Health and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons were investigating allegations of bullying against Ms Maroulis. The ABC is now reporting that while a previous complaint against her was deemed unsubstantiated by the hospital in March, it is now investigating her again. There is also a separate inquiry into her clinical performance.

The College of Surgeons is also examining a former registrar's complaint alleging the hospital's first inquiry in March was "manifestly inadequate". Dr Ibbett also told Four Corners that when she offered to relate her own experience of being bullied by Dr Maroulis, the hospital's human resources department told her that they did not wish to record her evidence, because she no longer worked there. Dr Ibbett said that when she telephoned the hospital to offer her own evidence supporting the bullying allegations, she was knocked back. "I actually contacted the HR department myself and said I would very much like to be involved in the investigation and give evidence," Dr Ibbett said. "I was told at that point it was an internal investigation and because I no longer worked at that hospital they didn't want any input.

"I did point out that I had made a complaint to the head of unit when I worked there but they didn't want to speak to me." She told Four Corners that while most of the surgeons at Monash were supportive, Dr Maroulis was known for her bullying. "Overall I had a very positive experience at Monash and I found most of the surgeons there to be extremely supportive and excellent surgeons as well as educators," she said. "But certainly a predominant theme was bullying from one of the female surgeons there and really just a constant feeling of fear whilst working there when she was around at work." Dr Maroulis has not commented on the allegations. She is still working at Monash Medical Centre, but is not performing operations, nor is she supervising trainees.

Several of her colleagues contacted The Age to say that while they did not have intimate knowledge of the complaints against her, they did not think she was a bully. William Blake, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who works privately and at Monash Health, said although he was unfamiliar with the nature of the allegations against Dr Maroulis, she was likely to be innocent. "I have known Helen for a long time and I think it's unlikely she is a genuine bully," he said. Another surgeon who did not want to be named said: "She's tough and she doesn't mince her words, but I don't think she's a bully." A spokesman for Monash Health would not comment on the investigations into Dr Maroulis' conduct because of procedural fairness. But he said: "We assure you that where serious allegations are brought to our attention we have procedures to deal with them and these are being followed currently," he said.