A doctor in the United Kingdom has admitted abandoning a patient mid-surgery to engage in sexual activity with a nurse in another room, a medical tribunal has heard.
Dr. Suhail Anjum, 44, a consultant anaesthetist, left a male patient under anaesthetic at Tameside Hospital in Greater Manchester in September 2023, telling colleagues he needed a “comfort break.” Instead, he went to another operating theatre where he had sex with an unnamed nurse, referred to as Nurse C.
The shocking incident came to light during a General Medical Council (GMC) fitness-to-practise hearing after Dr. Anjum, who had been living in Pakistan, applied to resume medical work in the UK.
According to GMC counsel Andrew Molloy, the pair were discovered in a “compromising position” by a colleague who was left “shocked” before quickly leaving the room. Dr. Anjum was absent from the surgery for around eight minutes before returning to complete the procedure.
The tribunal heard that no harm came to the patient during his absence, and the operation continued without further incident.
However, the matter was reported by the nurse who discovered the pair.
Dr. Anjum admitted to the misconduct, describing his behaviour as “shameful” and acknowledging that he had let down his colleagues, the NHS trust, and the patient. He apologised, saying: “I only have myself to blame. It was quite shameful, to say the least.”
Explaining his actions, the doctor said the encounter happened during a “stressful time” for his family, as he and his wife were struggling to reconnect following the premature birth of their daughter.
He insisted the incident was a “one-off error of judgment” and pleaded for an opportunity to continue his medical career in the UK.
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