A senior doctor who left a patient on an operating table in the middle of surgery to have sex with a nurse in an adjoining theatre has been cleared to resume his medical career.

Consultant anaesthetist Suhail Anjum, 44, was discovered ‘in a compromising position’ with another nurse at Tameside General Hospital in 2023.

The father-of-three was seen tying up the cord of his trousers, while his colleague had her underwear on display when the pair were surprised by another nurse.

A disciplinary panel has now found that Dr Anjum’s ‘deplorable’ actions amounted to serious misconduct, but concluded that as there was a ‘very low risk’ of them being repeated.

Today it ruled that a written warning should remain on the doctor’s registration for two years, saying his fitness to practise medicine was not impaired.

Married Dr Anjum – who said he felt ‘shame and guilt at this horribly embarrassing incident’ – is currently back working in his native Pakistan.

But he has expressed hopes of returning to the UK to work in the NHS again.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing in Manchester was told that Dr Anjum left the patient, who was having keyhole surgery to remove a gall bladder, because he knew that his colleague – referred to as Nurse C – ‘was likely to be nearby’.

Consultant anaesthetist Suhail Anjum, 44, pictured arriving at a medical tribunal in Manchester where he admitted being discovered ‘in a compromising position’ with another nurse during surgery

He told colleagues he needed a ‘comfort break’, the panel was told.

But a second nurse who went to prepare medical equipment in a different operating theatre was ‘shocked’ to come across the pair engaging in ‘sexual activity’.

Dr Anjum admitted all the allegations, saying the incident occurred during a period when he and his wife ‘were not connecting as a couple’.

‘I have let down everybody,’ he said.

‘It was the lowest point of my career.

‘I am genuinely sorry and shamed and fully recognise the seriousness of my behaviour.

‘It was a one-off error and I will never repeat this behaviour.

‘I would like to ensure the panel that it will not happen again but that does not take away the guilt and embarrassment.

‘I have only myself to blame.’…