Manchester, UK — A consultant anaesthetist left a sedated patient on an operating table to have sex with a nurse in a nearby theatre, a medical tribunal has been told.
Dr Suhail Anjum, 44, was working at Tameside Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, in September 2023 when he asked a colleague to “keep an eye” on a male patient mid-procedure. Instead of taking a “comfort break” as claimed, he went to another operating theatre where he engaged in sexual activity with a nurse, referred to in the hearing as Nurse C.Despite the eight-minute absence, the panel was told the patient came to no harm and the procedure was completed without further incident.
‘Shameful’ Behaviour
Representing the General Medical Council (GMC), Andrew Molloy said Dr Anjum admitted to engaging in sexual activity while on duty and accepted his behaviour had “the potential to put his patient at risk.”
Speaking before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester, Dr Anjum called the incident “quite shameful” and said it was a “one-off error of judgment” during a stressful period in his personal life.
“I let down my patient, my colleagues and the NHS trust.
I offer my sincere apologies and want the opportunity to put this right,” he told the panel.
Dr Anjum left the NHS trust in February 2024 and moved back to Pakistan. He is now seeking to return to practice in the UK.
Tribunal Continues
The panel is considering whether his conduct amounts to serious professional
