A medical practitioner made "inappropriate and clearly disrespectful" comments to a couple of his female colleagues.

Dr Muhammad Siddiqui, an experienced anaesthetist who has worked in Bury and Tameside, made the comments in September 2021, a Medical Practitioners Tribunal hearing was told in May last year

While working at Tameside NHS Hospital Trust in September 2021, Dr Siddiqui made comments to two female colleagues, saying things like “I know ladies like an older man with experience" and "I like younger ladies".

One woman reported feeling "very uncomfortable and distressed" and his "actions amounted to a serious failure when considered against the standards expected of him".

The tribunal reported that Dr Siddiqui’s comments were "unacceptable, inappropriate and clearly disrespectful".

Dr Siddiqui, was also reported to have been "rude and shouted" at a man known as "Mr B" on June 14, 2018.

The following day, Dr Siddiqui was found, when asked by Mr B not to share a lift with him, to have got into the lift and said to Mr B "if you want to be awkward and not let me in the lift, you can, you can put a complaint in, you’ve already put a complaint in", or words to that effect.

In the tribunal, Dr Siddiqui confirmed he had been "deliberately goading" Mr B about his original complaint. The hearing concluded that the "goading" indicated an "element of intimidation or an attempt to influence or prevent a colleague from submitting a complaint".

The tribunal found that as well as being "unfair to and disrespectful" of Mr B and his skills and contribution, it was conduct that was serious and amounted to misconduct.

Dr Siddiqui also made "inappropriate comments" to a colleague known as Ms C, the hearing was told. 

He refused to make written apologies to Mr B and Ms C which was described as "inexcusable".

However, the tribunal found that Dr Siddiqui had been remorseful in his spoken evidence and offered an apology to the trust which was found to be "genuine and sincere".

He also expressed remorse at how he treated Mr B, someone he "considered to be a work friend over many years".

The hearing also considered that Dr Siddiqui appeared to feel "aggrieved by how he had been treated at the trust and that he may have felt his years of experience had been undervalued by his colleagues".

The tribunal "accepted that there had been no concerns about Dr Siddiqui’s clinical competence" as well.

It decided to suspend Dr Siddiqui’s registration for six months, concluding that it "appropriately marked the gravity" of the misconduct as well as maintaining public confidence and maintaining standards.

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The tribunal report said: “Dr Siddiqui’s refusal to work with at least 11 out of 26 consultant colleagues was unreasonable and inappropriate.

“It showed a lack of respect for those trying to manage the department, and betrayed a lack of awareness of how such behaviour would impact on others.

“The consequent refusal of a direct instruction from Dr Siddiqui’s clinical director and his failure to complete anaesthetic lists to which he was allocated perpetuated and exacerbated the situation.”

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A review of Dr Siddiqui’s case took place in November, and it found he had "limited insight into his misconduct", and he had not provided "evidence of remediation" to the May tribunal. He was therefore suspended for six months again.

After another tribunal hearing on May 24, it was decided that Dr Siddiqui's fitness to practise "remains impaired by reasons of misconduct".

In his absence, it was decided that he should be suspended for a further six months and he was sent a letter informing him of his right of appeal.