Doctor's Shocking Mid-Surgery Rendezvous Costs Him Career and Patient Trust

In a shocking incident that sent ripples through the medical community, a Pakistani doctor working in the United Kingdom was permanently struck off the medical register for an egregious breach of professional conduct. Dr. Ali Reza, a consultant surgeon at the prestigious Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, North London, abandoned a critical kidney removal operation mid-procedure to engage in a sexual encounter with a nurse in an on-call room.

The alarming events unfolded in September 2008 during what should have been a routine, albeit serious, nephrectomy.

With a patient lying unconscious on the operating table, Dr. Reza inexplicably left the theatre, leaving junior staff to manage the complex procedure. Instead of returning to his duties, he sought out a female nurse and proceeded to have sex with her, an act he later admitted was consensual.

This gross dereliction of duty led to severe consequences for the patient.

Deprived of the senior surgeon's expertise, the operation was prolonged by an additional two hours, exposing the patient to "unnecessary suffering" and an extended period under general anesthetic. The breach of trust and the direct impact on patient safety were paramount concerns for the disciplinary panel.

The affair came to light after the nurse involved reported Dr.

Reza to hospital authorities. The subsequent investigation by the General Medical Council (GMC) led to a disciplinary hearing in 2011. During the proceedings, Dr. Reza admitted to the sexual encounter, expressing remorse but attempting to mitigate his actions by citing stress, long working hours, and personal issues.

He claimed his judgment was impaired by the pressures of his demanding profession.

However, the medical practitioners tribunal found Dr. Reza guilty of serious professional misconduct. The panel concluded that his actions were "wholly reprehensible" and constituted a profound betrayal of the trust placed in him as a medical professional.

The decision to remove him from the medical register was unanimous, reflecting the severity of abandoning a patient during surgery for personal gratification.

The case served as a stark reminder of the non-negotiable ethical standards required of medical professionals. It underscored the absolute priority of patient welfare and the severe repercussions for any deviation from these principles.

Dr. Reza's career, once dedicated to healing, ended abruptly amidst a scandal that shocked both the public and his peers, reaffirming that the sanctity of the operating room must never be compromised.