Doctor had sex with nurse halfway through surgery

Dr Suhail Anjum, 44, and the unnamed nurse were caught in a ‘compromising position’ by a ‘shocked’ colleague at Tameside Hospital who walked in on the pair.

The consultant anaesthetist had asked another nursing colleague to monitor the male patient halfway through the procedure while he took a comfort break.

Instead, he went to another operating theatre at the hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, where he had sex with the medic, referred to as Nurse C.

Andrew Molloy, representing the General Medical Council (GMC), said Dr Anjum was the anaesthetist for five cases in theatre five on September 16, 2013, and left the room during the third case.

He said shortly after, a Nurse NT entered theatre eight and ‘encountered Dr Anjum and Nurse C in a compromising position’.

Mr Molloy said: ‘She described seeing Nurse C with her trousers around her knee area with her underwear on display and Dr Anjum was in the process of tying up the cord of his trousers.

‘Nurse NT was shocked and quickly walked through the theatre to the exit doors. Dr Anjum returned to theatre five and was gone for about eight minutes before his return.

‘It is right to say that no harm came to the patient when Dr Anjum was absent from the theatre and the procedure went on without further incident.’

He said Nurse NT went on to report the matter to her line manager.

Before the case was opened by the GMC, Dr Anjum said he did not dispute the facts of the case and admitted engaging in sexual activity with Nurse C and that he knew she was ‘likely to be nearby’ when he left his patient.

He also admitted his actions had the potential to put his patient at risk.

Dr Anjum told the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) hearing he left Tameside hospital in February 2024 and had since moved back to his native Pakistan.

But he said he wanted to resume his career in the UK and promised there would never be a repeat of a ‘one-off error of judgment’.

Giving evidence, Dr Anjum 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.’