A former doctor, who was removed from the medical register for sexually assaulting two junior colleagues, has submitted an application to resume practicing.
Dr. Humayun Iqbal was found to have inappropriately touched the breasts of two female staff members while employed at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. Additionally, he attempted to kiss one colleague and tried to force his hand down her blouse. During the hospital’s investigation, he provided misleading information, including false statements about complaints and allegations made against him.
In a 2013 misconduct panel ruling, it was determined that Dr. Iqbal had engaged in sexual assault, dishonest behavior, and tarnished the reputation of one of the women. This led to a decision to strike his name from the medical register.
Since then, the former doctor has worked as a Cardiothoracic surgeon in Pakistan and as a Consultant in Cardiac Surgery in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In 2024, he sought to have his name reinstated in the UK medical register under the General Medical Council, claiming innocence and lack of evidence supporting the allegations against him.
During a recent restoration hearing, the GMC Representative highlighted that Dr. Iqbal had not accepted the previous panel’s findings and instead focused on questioning the motives of his accusers. The Tribunal ultimately denied his application for reinstatement, citing insufficient insight into the impact of his past actions and a lingering resentment towards the hospital and GMC.
The Tribunal deemed that Dr. Iqbal was not fit for unrestricted practice, emphasizing the need for genuine remorse and proactive steps towards addressing the misconduct findings.
