Who is Dr Chirag Patel? Indian-origin surgeon in UK suspended over sexual relationship with patient

Indian-origin neurosurgeon Dr Chirag Patel has come under scrutiny in the United Kingdom after a medical tribunal suspended him for eight months over misconduct involving a vulnerable patient.

Dr Patel worked at University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff and specialised in neurosurgery, including neuromodulation procedures and paediatric neurosurgery. Tribunal records show he qualified as a medical doctor from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in India in 1994 before moving to the United Kingdom in 2002.

According to tribunal documents, he completed his MS in General Surgery at the Government Medical College of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in 1998. He later became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in the UK and joined the Specialist Register in Neurosurgery in 2018.

The case gained attention after the tribunal found that the doctor had engaged in a sexual relationship with a patient while also prescribing addictive medication to her during the course of their association.

The woman, identified during proceedings as “Patient A”, later approached police in 2023 after the relationship deteriorated. Authorities subsequently informed the Cardiff and Vale health board.

The tribunal concluded that Dr Patel showed a “reckless disregard for patient safety” and placed “his personal interests - namely securing his career, reputation and family relationships” above the patient’s proper care.

The panel subsequently imposed an eight-month suspension to protect the public.

Tribunal documents stated that the doctor failed to properly record the medication in hospital records and did not inform the patient’s general practitioner about the prescriptions.

The panel also heard that the patient had undergone multiple surgeries under Dr Patel’s care, including spinal procedures between 2019 and 2021.

According to reports, he told the tribunal, “When I persisted in telling her that the relationship had to end, Patient A threatened to reveal our relationship to others, such as my employer and colleagues.”

He further said, “I was afraid if she did so I could lose the job I so loved and had worked so hard to obtain. Given my speciality this would have a knock-on effect on other patients if I was unable to work.”

In the message, she reportedly threatened to report him to the police and said, “Chirag, you had one chance, two chance, three chances and more chances. You're in the country doing your job, I don't want to f*** you over but my spine is f***ed, right?”

She further added, “I've given you chance after chance after chance. Do you know what? I could just write a book on you, okay? You going to man up and meet me, or are you going to be a cowardly c***, like I think you are? You're no God, love.”

Responding to the allegations, Dr Patel claimed their relationship had eventually become hostile.

“I would only see her under the threat of blackmail and to appease her,” he told the panel.

He further added, “Any romantic or friendly relationship had completely ended at this point, and our ongoing relationship was based purely on hostility and blackmail by her towards me.”