22nd December, 2010
A Nigerian doctor in the United Kingdom, Chukwugozie Ujam, 36, who tried to seduce his female colleagues has been suspended for six months.
Ujam was said to have harassed two junior doctors and a nurse as they worked night shifts at the Chesterfield Royal Hospital in 2008. He told one of the medics: “I bet youâ€
The General Medical Council ruled that his actions towards the three women “inappropriate and sexually motivated.â€
Panel chairman, Jacqueline Milton, said his actions had “undermined†the working relationship with the doctors, and “had the potential for placing the care of patients at risk.â€
The hearing was told how he asked Dr. Sally Pennington: “Oh god, I bet youâ€
He told her: “You could learn a lot from me – I could teach you things both academically and not.â€Â Ujam also bragged about cheating on his wife, and asked Dr. Pennington about her sexual history, before sending her an explicit text.
She said she had felt sick after receiving a ‘letchyâ€
Dr. Aimee Priestman said Ujam ignored a patient who was suffering seizures as he continued to ‘badgerâ€
She said: “You donâ€
“It isnâ€
“He didnâ€
He mentioned that he lived apart from his family, had marital difficulties, handed her his phone number and asked for hers.
Dr. Priestman said she was concerned by Ujamâ€
She said: “I didnâ€
“To me it would have been quite confrontational to say: ‘Why have you just given your number to me, Iâ€
“I just wanted to get on with my job.â€
But when she did not show any interest, the doctor continued to pester her.
“He pursued me constantly, asking me: ‘Why are you being like this?â€
“I have never had a situation like that in the workplace.â€
Ujamâ€
He also winked at her while helping perform an emergency Caesarean section.
Ms. Milton told Ujam: “You embarked on courses of conduct with Dr. Pennington, Dr. Priestman and Nurse Hudson designed to establish sexual relationships with them.
“Despite their evident discomfort and reluctance to engage with you, you persisted in your efforts to persuade them.â€
“The Panel views your actions in pursuing and harassing professional colleagues for sexual purposes as representing a pattern of behaviour that falls seriously short of the standards expected of a registered medical practitioner.
“The panel regards the observance of proper standards of behaviour towards professional colleagues as an important principle of conduct for doctors.â€
Ujam was found to have been ‘misleadingâ€
In a separate training post at Moss Valley Medical Practice in Eckington, North Derbyshire, where he worked between August and November 2007, Ujam was found to have made “numerous†calls to Nigeria.
The GMC ruled that he was confrontational and shouted at his educational supervisor, Rachel Tinker, during a meeting to discuss his use of the phone, and that his actions were “intimidating.â€
Ms. Milton told Ujam: “Your misconduct has brought the profession into disrepute and that you have breached important principles of your profession.