A medical tribunal has found the fitness to practise of Dr Jawad Ahmad impaired after concluding he sexually harassed a junior doctor and failed to tell his employer about an arrest linked to a separate alleged sexual assault.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) heard that the incidents occurred in June 2020 while both doctors worked at the Royal Stoke University Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent. The misconduct hearing was held in Ahmad's absence after police reported he was believed to be in Pakistan; the tribunal was told he left the UK about five years ago.
What the tribunal found
The tribunal found multiple charges of misconduct proven. The allegations from a then-junior doctor, identified in the hearing as Ms A, included invitations to dinner and requests to visit her home to collect books. The panel concluded Ahmad lured Ms A into an office on 11 June 2020, then pushed her onto a chair, massaged her back and shoulders and kissed her.
"predatory and premeditated"
The MPTS chair in the case, Alison Storey, described the conduct in the incident on 11 June as "predatory and premeditated", and said it had left Ms A upset. The tribunal noted subsequent changes Ms A made to her shifts and working patterns to avoid contact with Ahmad, including avoiding night shifts and not working when the hospital was quiet.
Failure to disclose arrest
In addition to the harassment findings, the tribunal determined Ahmad had been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Stoke-on-Trent in June 2020 and had been taken into custody two days before signing a contract extension with University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust on 22 June 2020. He signed that extension without informing his employer of the arrest.
The General Medical Council (GMC) described Ahmad's decision not to disclose the arrest as dishonest, saying he had an obligation to declare being taken into custody but omitted to do so because he wanted the new contract.
Next steps and wider implications
The tribunal adjourned to consider what sanction should be imposed and is scheduled to resume on Tuesday. The MPTS chair said the finding of impairment sent a "clear signal" to Ahmad, the profession and the public about the unacceptability of his conduct.
The decision underlines the regulatory focus on honesty and safeguarding within the medical profession, and will inform any sanction the tribunal imposes. Ahmad, who was a urology registrar, was not present at the hearing.
- Incident of unwanted physical contact and kissing: 11 June 2020
- Arrest on suspicion of sexual assault of a teenage girl: two days before 22 June 2020 (taken into custody)
- Contract extension signed without disclosing arrest: 22 June 2020
- Tribunal adjourned to consider sanction; hearing to resume Tuesday
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 11 June 2020 | Alleged harassment incident in an office at Royal Stoke University Hospital |
| ~20 June 2020 | Arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a teenage girl (taken into custody) |
| 22 June 2020 | Signed contract extension with University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust without disclosing arrest |
The case highlights the intersecting duties doctors owe to colleagues, patients and employers: to provide a safe workplace, to be candid with regulators and trusts, and to co-operate with criminal investigations. The GMC had recommended steps following the misconduct findings, according to the MPTS, and the tribunal's forthcoming sanction will determine whether Ahmad is removed from the medical register or subjected to other measures.
The hearing, which began earlier this month, was conducted in Ahmad's absence after authorities indicated he was believed to be in Pakistan. The timing of his departure from the UK was described at the hearing as about five years ago.
As the tribunal prepares to rule on sanction, the case will be watched by hospital trusts and regulatory bodies for its implications on disclosure practices and safeguarding processes within the NHS.
