A former doctor, Dr. Humayun Iqbal, who had his medical license revoked due to sexually assaulting two female coworkers, has submitted an application to resume practicing medicine.

The incidents took place at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, where Dr. Iqbal inappropriately touched the breasts of two female staff members and made unwanted advances, including an attempt to kiss one of them and force his hand down her blouse. He also provided misleading information during the hospital’s investigation, claiming that the allegations against him would not proceed further based on information from a male colleague. Additionally, he falsely accused one of the women of poor performance and making racist remarks.

Following a 2013 misconduct panel’s decision, Dr. Iqbal was found guilty of sexual assault, dishonest conduct on multiple occasions, and damaging the reputation of one of the women. Consequently, his name was removed from the medical register due to serious misconduct and impaired fitness to practice.

Since losing his medical license, Dr. Iqbal has worked as a Cardiothoracic surgeon in Pakistan and as a Consultant in Cardiac Surgery in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In 2024, he applied to have his name reinstated in the UK medical register managed by the General Medical Council, claiming innocence and lack of evidence supporting the allegations against him, apart from the two complainants.

During a recent restoration hearing, the GMC Representative criticized Dr. Iqbal for not acknowledging his past misconduct and instead focusing on potential ulterior motives of his colleagues. The Tribunal ultimately denied his application for reinstatement, citing insufficient remorse, lack of insight into his actions, and lingering resentment towards the hospital and GMC. They concluded that Dr. Iqbal was not fit for unrestricted medical practice based on the evidence and circumstances of the case.