Pakistani doctor in UK abandons patient mid-surgery to engage in sexual activity with nurse

A Pakistani doctor in the UK left his patient mid-operation after administering anaesthesia and went to another theatre, where he became intimate with a nurse. The duo was caught by another nurse who walked into the room and was left "shocked."

Dr. Anjum Islam, 44, a consultant anaesthetist, had administered anaesthesia to a patient at Tameside Hospital in Greater Manchester in 2023.

Instead of remaining in the operating theatre, he took what he described as a “comfort break” and went to another operating theatre in Ashton-under-Lyne, where he became intimate with a nurse identified as Nurse C.

The incident came to light when a colleague unexpectedly walked into the room and found the pair in a compromising position. Shocked, the colleague immediately left and reported the matter to her line manager.

Dr Anjum admitted he had been absent for around eight minutes, though the procedure on the patient continued without incident. He later confessed that his behaviour was “shameful” and acknowledged that his actions could have endangered the patient’s life.

“It was quite shameful, to say the least. I only have myself to blame,” he told the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS). He added, “I offer my sincere apologies to everyone involved and I want the opportunity to put this right.”

The General Medical Council (GMC) presented evidence against him in Manchester, describing his behaviour as unacceptable for a medical professional.

Dr Anjum, who has since returned to Pakistan, applied to continue his practice in the UK, which brought the case back into the spotlight. He pleaded with the tribunal that the incident was a “one-off error of judgment” and that he had no intention of repeating such conduct.

He also explained that the lapse occurred during a difficult period in his personal life, following the premature birth of his daughter and strained relations with his wife.