Neurosurgeon's secret patient relationship ends career

Chirag Patel, a consultant neurosurgeon, has been suspended for eight months following findings of misconduct by a UK tribunal. Patel had a sexual relationship with a patient, identified as 'Patient A', whom he had operated on three times between February 2019 and December 2021.

The relationship, which reportedly lasted six months, began after Patel's second surgery on Patient A. During this period, he prescribed her opioid painkillers, including morphine sulphate and diazepam, on a non-emergency basis. Crucially, these prescriptions, issued between May 2022 and January 2023, were omitted from her official hospital records.

Patel claimed Patient A blackmailed him with threats to expose their relationship, which he feared would jeopardize his career. Despite this, the misconduct tribunal found his actions to be a persistent abuse of his professional position, showing a reckless disregard for patient safety and standards.

The health board overseeing the hospital confirmed Patel is no longer employed there. The patient eventually approached the police, who notified the health board, leading to Patel referring himself to the General Medical Council.