Doctor suspended after hugging cleaner

A Staffordshire doctor has been suspended from the profession for a month after trying to kiss a woman cleaner in the men's toilets of a Staffordshire surgery.

The General Medical Council suspended Dr Bhanumurthy Venkataramaiah's for bringing the medical profession into disrepute due to his actions at Park House NHS Centre in Cannock. A sexual misconduct hearing was told he was working at the clinic for South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust at the time of the offence in October 2006.

Dr Venkataramaiah, of Snead Close, Stafford, hugged the cleaner as she went about her work, leaned over to kiss her and then leered "How about one before I leave?" after she turned down his advances.

It led to the doctor being suspended by trust bosses and a disciplinary hearing resulted in his dismissal in October 2007.

A GMC panel ordered Dr Venkataramaiah to be suspended from the medical register for one month.

The GMC said the sexual misconduct was aggravated by the fact that it took place in the men's toilets with a junior member of staff.

The panel said in its ruling: "In considering the appropriate period of suspension, the panel is aware that the maximum period of suspension is 12 months.

"However, the panel is satisfied that you do have sufficient insight into the matters which led to this hearing to prevent there being a risk of you repeating your behaviour and it considers that you pose no risk to the public.

"The panel has also taken into account the interests of your patients and that aspect of the public interest which makes it desirable to permit an otherwise competent doctor to return to practice at the first reasonable date consistent with marking the seriousness of your misconduct.

"For all these reasons, the panel has determined to suspend your registration for a period of one month, which it considers is sufficient to maintain public confidence in the profession and uphold proper standards of professional conduct and behaviour."