A former doctor who was deregistered for sexually assaulting two junior colleagues has submitted an application to resume medical practice in the UK. Dr. Humayun Iqbal was found to have inappropriately touched the breasts of two female staff members while employed at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. He also made advances towards one colleague and made false statements during the hospital’s investigation.
Following a misconduct panel’s ruling in 2013, Dr. Iqbal was found guilty of sexual assault, dishonest behavior on multiple occasions, and damaging the reputation of a female colleague. Consequently, his name was removed from the medical register.
After being struck off, Dr. Iqbal worked as a Cardiothoracic surgeon in Pakistan and as a Consultant in Cardiac Surgery in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In 2024, he sought reinstatement to the UK medical register managed by the General Medical Council (GMC), claiming innocence and lack of evidence supporting the allegations against him.
During the restoration hearing, Dr. Iqbal, who previously blew the whistle on ‘forced illegal working hours,’ reiterated his denial of sexual misconduct or dishonesty. However, he admitted to inaccurately accusing a colleague of making racist remarks. Despite his stance, the GMC Representative argued that he failed to acknowledge his wrongdoings and instead focused on discrediting his accusers.
The Tribunal ultimately rejected Dr. Iqbal’s application, citing his insufficient understanding of the impact of his actions and lack of progress in addressing the 2013 Panel’s findings. They expressed concerns about his lingering resentment towards the hospital and GMC, emphasizing the need for genuine insight and remediation before permitting his return to medical practice.