DOCTOR WHO GROPED NURSE GIVEN ROYAL STOKE SHIFTS
Locum role at hospital helped convince tribunal he was fit to practice again
A DOCTOR who sexually assaulted a student nurse has been passed fit to treat patients again – after working shifts at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Dr Imran Qureshi touched and held the breast of the nurse without her consent while working at Trafford General Hospital.
After being convicted of sexual assault in 2016, Qureshi was sentenced to a 12-month community order and was placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years.
A 2017 medical practitioners tribunal suspended his registration for 12 months, after deciding a finding of impairment was necessary ‘to promote and maintain public confidence in the profession’.
Later tribunals subsequently placed conditions on Qureshi’s registration.
A 2021 tribunal was satisfied that he ‘had good insight into the conduct which had given rise to his conviction’, but found that he was still impaired due to the fact he had undergone a lengthy period of ‘de-skilling’ while not working as a doctor.
Conditions were imposed on Qureshi’s registration for nine months so he could seek employment and demonstrate that he was safe to return to unrestricted practice.
The latest review heard Qureshi then secured a three-day locum shift at the Royal Stoke, which was extended to six days.
He previously worked a single locum shift at Luton and Dunstable Hospital.
Two consultants at the Royal Stoke provided Qureshi with positive references. The tribunal also considered questionnaires provided by Qureshi which had been completed by two SHOS and a nurse, which provided ‘positive responses as to his performance and his fitness to practise’.
At the hearing, the GMC submitted that Qureshi’s fitness to practise remained impaired, not due to his conviction but because of the ‘significant length of time’ out of clinical practice.
Qureshi argued that he is no longer deskilled and his confidence as a doctor has returned after undertaking the locum shifts.
He also said that he has received ‘positive feedback’ from colleagues and a patient.
A report from the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service states: “The Tribunal placed weight on the references provided by supervising colleagues and the lack of concerns raised within. The Tribunal placed weight on the fact that Stoke had been sufficiently satisfied by Dr Qureshi’s performance that it offered to extend his shifts by a further three days.”
The tribunal was satisfied Qureshi had addressed the issue of de-skilling.
The tribunal therefore revoked the conditions on Qureshi’s registration with immediate effect.
The University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust declined to comment on the tribunal. But the trust says that all staff are subject to pre-employment checks and employed on the basis of their qualifications, skills and experience.