A doctor is standing accused of allegedly leaving a patient unconscious mid-surgery to have sex with a nurse.
British doctor Suhail Anjum is facing a tribunal after he was reportedly found in a ‘compromising position’ with an unnamed nurse on hospital grounds at Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester.
The consultant anaesthetist allegedly left a male patient under anaesthetic with another medic under the guise of taking a comfort break.
In reality, however, the tribunal heard how he had left the surgery to allegedly pursue sexual intercourse with a nurse referred to as Nurse C in a different operating theatre.
The matter came to light when another colleague, referred to as Nurse NT in the case, reportedly walked in on the pair and was left reeling in shock.
Andrew Molloy, representing the General Medical Council (GMC), said Dr Anjum had been the anaesthetist in five cases in surgery on September 16, 2023, and had left the room during the third.
Molloy said Nurse NT allegedly saw Nurse C with her trousers down to her knees and her underwear visible while Dr Anjum was appearing to tie the cord on his trousers.
“Nurse NT was shocked and quickly walked through the theatre to the exit doors,” he said. “Dr Anjum returned to theatre five and was gone for about eight minutes before his return.”
He said Nurse NT then reported the incident to her line manager. Before the proceedings, the married father reportedly did not dispute the facts and admitted engaging in sexual activity with Nurse C.
He said he knew she was ‘likely to be nearby’ when he left the operating room and confessed his actions could have put his patient at risk. However, the GMC rep added it is ‘right to say’ that the patient left in surgery at the time suffered no harm as a result of the doctor’s absence and that ‘the procedure went on without further incident’.
Speaking to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS), Dr Anjum confirmed he had left Tameside Hospital in February last year and relocated to Pakistan.
Now, he hopes to return to the UK to continue his career, vowing not to repeat what he described as a ‘one-off error of judgement’.
In his statement, he said: “It was quite shameful, to say the least. I only have myself to blame. I let down everybody, not just my patient and myself, but the trust and how it would look. I let down my colleagues who gave me a lot of respect.”
While he said it was ‘unfair’ to ask for another anaesthetic nurse to cover for him, and for putting Nurse NT in an ‘awkward position,’ Dr Anjum felt most guilty for his patient.
“If my doctor had gone away without telling me… this breaks me to pieces every day when I think about it,” he continued.
“I have always set very high standards for myself because the job is my passion. I don’t know how and why it happened, but I wish I could reverse it. I offer my sincere apologies to everyone involved, and I want the opportunity to put this right.”
He said the incident occurred amid a ‘stressful time’ in his life after the premature birth of his daughter in January 2023.
“My wife had a very traumatic delivery, it was quite a stressful experience. We failed to connect as a couple during that time,” he said. “It took a toll on my personal life, my mental health and wellbeing, and my work at the hospital.”
The panel is yet to give its verdict on Dr Anjum’s alleged misconduct and whether his actions affect his fitness to practice.